


The Seasons

by JadeHeart



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-08
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-03-11 01:12:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 34,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3310322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeHeart/pseuds/JadeHeart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is an alternate ending that has more Korrasami and plot twists</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There are four parts to represent the four seasons. There’s a prequel type of chapter called Warmest Winter that you can find in my Works page/profile. It’s not required to understand the following parts.

**Deadly Spring**   
CHAPTER ONE

After defeating Zaheer, Korra continues her healing process at her home in the Southern Water Tribe. 

Southern Water Tribe 

Korra watched the Southern Lights floating elegantly from the balcony of her home. She had bouts of insomnia that led her out here to contemplate her next move. It was as if she couldn't choose to feel what she felt. Despite being the master of all four elements, the Avatar had lost all control. A shadow loomed over her every day. 

Senna convinced Korra to see Katara for more healing. She had a breakthrough though: regaining the use of her legs gave her some hope. The great deception was the fact that she physically appeared healed but the internal damage was far more severe, as it always is. 

Korra was restless in her home. She was reminded of her beginnings as an Avatar-in-training: the arena, the all too familiar set up of her room, and the domineering walls that reminded her of her past captivity. 

One day, Korra had enough. She sat outside in the front terrace playing with Naga. 

"Naga, I feel like a failure." She petted her loyal polar bear dog to seek some comfort in its fur. 

Naga whined. She was an intuitive dog. 

"How did I end up back where I started as an Avatar? I can't stand it. This isn't where I'm supposed to be. The world is out there and I'm back here. I feel like I need to get away from it all!" 

"Then you should." Katara’s voice surprised Korra from behind. She had been visiting Tonraq about water tribe business. The accomplished healer also wanted to check up on Korra. 

The Avatar was shocked that Katara would eavesdrop on her. But she was even more surprised that the old woman would validate her notion of running away – for the second time. 

"My parents would never let me... Ugh, I can't believe I just said that. Am I even listening to myself?! I've been here for too long." 

"Korra, you've been through so much. It's understandable that your thoughts aren't as clear as water. Now what do you think you need to do, for yourself?"

"For myself? I need to get better." 

"Why?"

"So… that I can be the Avatar again and help other people." 

"Do you want to get better for you or for the fact that you need to help people?"

"Isn't it both?"

"In a sense, yes, but I'm trying to get at the fact that you need to realize what you need to do is to help yourself first. I was just like you, Korra. I wanted to help everyone but I came to realize that before I could effectively help anyone else, such as my brother, family, tribe, or the world, I needed to know how to take care of myself and by whatever means necessary to make that work." 

"... Are you saying I should run away?"

"I'm saying that if you ever need me to help you get well I'm here." 

With that ambiguous message, Katara smiled, gave Naga a treat, patted the polar bear dog on her head, and walked away. The greatest water benders' gait was steady and calm with both hands behind her back. 

As she watched Katara walk out of the terrace, Korra was confused. She didn't know what it meant to take care of herself first. The notion seemed rather selfish to her at first. However, she took Katara's message to mean that Katara would back her up in the case that she needed to escape for a while. 

"She is so cool."

~~

Korra broke the news to her parents that she needed to leave the Southern Water Tribe and return to Republic City. 

The night-lights of Republic City rekindled the Avatar's hopes of reuniting with her loved ones. She felt the light, misty spray of the bay's waters on her face as her boat sailed towards the city. However, her past appeared, haunting her. It was her again: Korra's inner demon, eyes aglow from the Avatar state with a murderous look on her face. 

"You again. I can't even go into Republic City without you haunting me. What is the matter with me?” The Avatar turned her sails away from Republic City. Korra sat down on the deck, disappointed and slightly distraught from not being able to return to the city. She had no idea where she was going to go.

'Then you should,' Katara's voice rang clear in her psyche. Korra decided that she needed time alone to get better and once she did she would return back to Republic City. “It wouldn't be too long, right?”

~~

At an outpost in the desert, Korra wrote a letter to Katara. She asked the elder for a favor. She knew her parents would be writing to her. Thus, Katara agreed to intercept her parents' letters to Republic City. 

~~


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

A teenaged boy grabbed a spray can and sprayed in blood red the word, “Equalist,” on the side of a Future Industries building. His gang chuckled. One of them, an earth bender, bent a boulder out of the ground.

“Hey man, you’ll risk blowing our cover!” One of the gang members called out.

“Come on, they’ll be proud of us.” He sent it whirling into the side of the building. A cloud of dust and bricks erupted from the impact.

“Yeah, yeah! Take her down!” one of the boys shouted over the explosion, but mortar drifted into his throat, starting on a coughing spell. Then, a deafening alarm went off in the building. All security lights on the outer corners of the buildings switched on.

The hoodlums ran in the opposite direction into the night, hungry for more.

The Next Morning

“You’d think that after all these years, people would stop targeting my company for being associated with Equalists,” the CEO of Future Industries said exasperated.

Mako jotted some notes on his small notepad. They both stood in front of the wreckage that had been fenced off with “Caution!” tape.

“Asami, it’s a shame. Some people just hold onto the past. I’m suspecting from these footprints that teens from the local school came here. I’m surprised that even with your security system, they would still try to vandalize your property,” Mako said.

“My security team is looking over the footage as we speak. They’re different boys each time, but this time the damage seems to be quite… large for just vandals. What do you think it is, Mako?” Asami asked earnestly.

“I’m not sure, but I’ll ask the rest of the force, and I’ll ask Chief Beifong for her recommendations on the best bodyguards and night watchers for your company. Have they targeted you, personally?” Mako asked, concerned.

“No, they haven’t. It happens periodically, but only to Future Industries’ buildings.”

He nodded. “If there are any more developments, let me know as soon as possible.”

“Thanks, Mako.”

“Not a problem,” Mako said with a small salute as he stepped into the police car.

“Hey, have you heard from Korra lately?” Asami said, trying not to sound too eager.

Mako’s countenance changed and stopped for a second. “No, I haven’t...It’s been a while hasn’t it?”

“Yes, it has.”

“Well, I think Tenzin said that she’ll be back from the Southern Water Tribe soon.” Mako continued fastening his seat belt.

Asami smiled. “See you later, Mako.”

“Bye, Asami. Keep me updated.” He drove away in the police car. Asami turned back to the rubble and hung her head. She shook her head when she saw the word “Equalist” scrawled on the wall. It reminded her of her father. _Why can’t benders and non-benders just get along…_ A mix of anger and hatred flowed through her. A brick piece nudged at her shoe as she walked away.

She kicked it to the side with rage and continued walking. She sent it flying towards the wall where the word “Equalist” was written and it cracked into a dozen pieces.

Stressed and overworked, Asami sat at her concept-drawing table. She picked up her pencil and started aimlessly yet expertly tracing a few lines. Then, she stopped. She had drawn the ancient calligraphy symbol of water.

Asami decided to start writing a letter.

~~

She walked back to her office to resume her workday. As soon as Asami opened the door to her office, a spirit screeched at her from the windowsill, “RAWRCH!” Asami gasped from surprise. The spirit was a plump one. It looked scared as Asami entered. _I’m going to get used to this. I will. Korra said that this was a good idea,_ Asami reassured herself in her head. Then, she continued setting down her purse and paperwork without bothering it.

The spirit relaxed a little, happy to have met a human that doesn’t shoo it away. Asami continued working as the spirit sat by on the windowpane, grooming itself. She realized that she liked having spirits around. It was a distant, yet close reminder of the Avatar.

One Year Later

The rain poured down hard on Republic City in the springtime. After a long day at work, Asami left Future Industries headquarters at night. Thunder clapped as she set foot onto the cold, rainy street. She swiftly, but delicately hopped over spirit vines that were growing in the streets. Every day, she was careful not to step on, drive over, or hurt the spirit vines. Asami whispered a quick “thanks” to the valet that readied her car by the curb.

Spirit vines did not overgrow the boundaries of Asami Sato’s mansion. Curiously, they seemed to grow around it.

She brushed the rain off her water resistant trench coat before stepping into her mansion. After fixing herself a cup of hot tea, the CEO retired to her study. She pulled out a book to read about the Spirit World that was situated in a discreet corner in the study. The hail noisily pelted the windows. After reading a few lines, she instinctively turned to look out the window.

An eagle-hawk spirit rested on a tree branch outside the window. It was curled up, shivering. A gust of wind pushed the eagle-hawk off balance and it wobbled furiously on the branch. Asami threw down her book and ran to the window. The eagle-hawk turned wide-eyed when it saw a human was coming near it. It tried to fly, but its talon snagged on a tree branch. As it fell, Asami caught it in her arms.

She grabbed it and immediately shut the window against another violent gust of wind. The eagle-hawk wrestled itself out of her arms.

It shook off its feathers and then flew to a corner of the study. The eagle-hawk was wide eyed, comically frightened. Asami’s hair and top were dripping wet. She just shook it off and went to the fireplace to make a fire.

As she picked up the metal firewood prong, her finger slipped due to her wet grip. The tool bounced in deafening clangs as it fell.

“Miss Sato, do you need help?” one of her butlers called from downstairs.

"No, but thank you, Nigel," Asami replied back. She was stubborn in this case.

No matter how hard she tried, she could not make a fire. “Fire was never my favorite element,” Asami muttered.

The spirit watched her every move. After some time, it flew over to the fireplace. Startled by the gusts of air coming from the eagle-hawk’s wings, Asami backed away for the spirit started to expand its wings again.

With its impressive wingspan for its size, the eagle-hawk opened its beak and firebent a streak of blue fire. The firewood immediately set ablaze and brightened the room. Amazed, Asami brought her hands against the flames to warm them up. _It’s like Korra firebending—_

Before she could finish her thought, the eagle-hawk started purring at her leg. It was adorably nestling next to her in front of the fire. With two fingers, she gently stroked its head. “I’ll name you, Pele.”

~~

Pele perched on the Sato Mansion mailbox. It watched as Asami’s car pulled up on the driveway.

Asami greeted her eagle-hawk warmly. “Hey there, little one. This is an unusual perch for you. Have you decided to change things up?” She opened the mailbox and saw that it was a letter from Korra. Her heart was overfilled with joy.

She dropped all her things at the door and ran into her study. It was heart-wrenching to read the letter -- she yearned to see and talk to Korra. Her fingers traced over the letters of Korra’s name. It’s been so long… but there’s only one letter from her.

Asami read the letter more than once. And a particular line warmed her heart. _She only wrote to me._

~~


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

The holidays were around the corner. Asami's birthday was also during this season.

After a long night at the office and being the last one to leave, she set her alarm clock for 15 minutes later than usual. Asami instantly fell asleep. Before she knew it, her alarm clock went off. The CEO peaked one of her eyes open to focus on the clock.

_5:15 AM. Sleeping in for 15 more minutes should be enough._

Asami worked at her bedroom desk as her butler brought her a hot cup of tea. After a couple of hours, her butler knocked on her door.

“MIss Sato, you may want to check your front door,” he said with a slight smile.

From his expression she grew a little excited. The cold morning air rushed into the warm estate upon her opening the door. She looked down and saw a pile of wrapped gifts at her door. This was the second time this happened since she took the helm of Future Industries.

"To the Most Badass CEO" read one of the tags on the gifts. She was thankful to have such thoughtful employees. As she moved the gifts into the entryway of her mansion, she saw a police car pull up on the driveway.

Holding a box in his hand, Mako waved at her as he ascended the steps.

"Working on a holiday, Mako?" Asami greeted him.

"And you aren't?"

"Fair point." Asami gave him a hug as he reached the top of the steps.

Mako got a waft of her fragrant perfume. "Happy Early Birthday,” he said as he presented the box.

“Oh, why thank you. A hand delivered gift.”

“Well, I’m also here to tell you some disappointing news on the vandals.”

Asami’s face immediately fell into a frown. “And, there goes my brief moment of happiness.” Then she smiled playfully.

Mako chuckled, “I thought you’d like to know.”

“I know, Mako. You were never one who liked small talk. I appreciate it,” Asami said warmly as she placed a hand on Mako’s shoulder. “What’s the update?”

Her tone sounded so matured and professional to Mako. He truly admired how ahead of her time she was. With just a few words, she could present so much. “Well, I asked around and even Chief Beifong. It seems that there have been scattered Equalist inspired movements. We speculate that they’ve just been using more violent means. We don’t think any citywide action is necessary though. It hasn’t grown to a huge problem according to Chief Beifong.”

Asami considered what Mako just told her. Of course, Chief Beifong had other things to worry about. “I’ll just take care of it on my own. Thanks, Mako. Do you want to come inside? It’s chilly out here.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m due for an early shift this morning so I should probably head out. I’ll see you at your birthday party tonight?”

“Sounds good. See you then!”

~~

Miss Sato’s Birthday Celebration

"My, my, Miss Sato! You've come a long way!" People would say.

"You look amazing today!" They would say.

"We heard about your father. We are so sorry," Some would say, concerned hands placed on her arm.

"Happy Birthday and Happy Holidays!" Acquaintances would say.

"Let's do business together in the future!" Business representatives would say.

The voices all turned into a blur by the end of the night. Memorizing names, recalling old ones. It was a mental exercise. Schmoozing and negotiating business deals was a well-practiced art by Asami Sato. Donations for Asami's personal STEM education foundation reached hundreds of thousands. Her personal assistant arranged it.

The CEO rested against the balcony to get some fresh air from the rather stuffy affair.

"Happy 16th Birthday!" Bolin's voice broke through Asami's whirling thoughts.

"Bolin! I guess I’ve been turning 16 for a few years now." She chuckled at his age-old joke. "I'm so glad you could make it," she exclaimed. She gave the old friend a hug.

"I wouldn't miss it, my lady!" He said overly chivalrously. "When Team Avatar has a birthday, all of Team Avatar has one!"

Except one member of Team Avatar has missed more than one birthday and holiday in a row.

~~

Si Wong Desert

"Get your cabbages! Get your cabbages!"

During the afternoon, the market in the desert bustled with life. Merchants and customers bartered with one another. The sound of barking and quacking cut through the hoard of voices shouting over one another. Korra scanned through the peddlers, looking for some breakfast that morning.

At the cabbage cart, she reached for a head and scrutinized it. Then, Korra's ears perked up at the sound of a woman's voice a few carts down. "How much for this?"

Korra looked over and she did not believe it. A woman with raven black hair extended a slender arm from the sleeve of a flowing red and black desert robe to pay for her cabbages. Her hair was pinned in a ponytail at her neck. Suddenly, Korra's heart pounded faster and faster. She missed Team Avatar so much with her aching heart. She dropped the cabbage and ignored the merchants call for her to come back, "Okay, two for the price of one! Two for one!"

Korra hopped through the bazaar, "Asami!" She shouted. She eagerly pushed some people out of her way.

As she touched the woman's shoulder, Korra saw an unfamiliar face alarmingly turn towards her. "Oh, I'm sorry...I thought you were someone I knew..." Korra embarrassingly turned away as the woman worriedly watched the stranger walk dejectedly away.

As Korra walked through the bizarre, she realized that she was no longer hungry. _What if I never see her again?_ The thought punched her hard in the stomach. 

_What if I don't see anyone ever again? No, no... I have to get better.... I have to. I must. Katara was right. I need to fix myself first._

~

“Sandstorm strikes hard again! Could this be the end of the final match?!” The announcer called in the underground bending arena. Korra struggled to lift herself up from the ground. Her hands stung from skidding across the hard concrete floor during the match. The crowd shouted boos and hoorahs in a frenzy of dizzying sounds. Korra dropped her forehead against the cool floor.

“When’re you going to give up, sand scum?” Her opponent taunted, hands up ready to crush the Avatar.

“Ergh,” Korra grunted through the metallic taste of blood in her throat. She thrust her arm and hurled three discs at Sandstorm. Poorly aimed, the discs disintegrated once they hit Sandstorm’s bulging forearm muscles. He kicked up four more discs, projecting them at Korra’s back. Korra immediately jumped up, missing the discs by a hair.

“Dodged! Looks like it’s a miraculous comeback!” The announcer said excitedly into the microphone.

However, with a quick swift of Sandstorm’s arm, he catapulted six more discs at Korra. The discs flew at her with astonishing speed and she was barraged into the wall behind her. A cloud of dust erupted. The impact temporarily paralyzed her.

 _Ding! Ding! Ding!_ “We have a knockout!” The announcer’s voice echoed throughout the arena. Cheers and jeers filled the air at a deafening pace.

The arena grew quieter and quieter. She could no longer hear the crowd nor could she see. She let herself fade.

~

As she woke up, she felt something at her finger. Her vision slowly grew from blurs to sharper images of the cracked arena floor. Korra lifted her aching head to find a wad of cash by her fingers.

“Didn’t even bother to wake me up… some referee,” Korra muttered to herself.

“Hey! I’m over here, ya know,” he called from the stands as he counted his bills. “I heard what ya said. The echos in here are loud and clear.”

“How long was I knocked out for?” Korra asked, rubbing her head.

“Not too long. I stuck around ‘cause I wanted to tell you that these arenas aren’t like the ones you probably fought back home. It’s a lot more intense. You have to watch out for yourself.”

Korra just brushed herself off.

He stopped counting the huge wad of cash in his hand. “Where did you say you were from?”

“It’s not important,” Korra said firmly as she picked herself up. “I’ll be back for the next match.”

He looked at her with critical eyes. Something was different about this woman, but he did not know what. He shrugged and continued counting, _110, 120, 130…_

The evening air was crisp when Korra stepped outside. She breathed it in, only to start coughing as her dry throat acted up. The dust scratched at her throat. However, her coughing would not stop. Passing strangers exchanged concerned looks at the battered pro-bender holding herself against the wall for support. Korra tried to look for a place to buy a drink. Her eyes were starting to water as the coughs convulsed through her body.

She teetered and tottered to the door of a nearby tavern. Korra knocked, and coughed, and knocked, and coughed.

A slit on the door opened. A pair of amber eyes fiercely examined her.

“Please— _cough_ —I just need— _cough_ —some water.”

He closed the door slit with a slam.

“Spirits!” Korra cursed as she leaned against a sidewall. She covered her mouth with the crook of her elbow as more coughs came erupting through her.

A young woman appeared around the bend of the wall. “Please, you sound like you’re going to die!” She knocked on the door in a pattern using her knuckles and her wrist.

“Suh- _cough_ -orry,” Korra apologized meekly.

The eyes appeared again as the slit opened. A hoarse voice asked, “Drink?”

“For two.” The door opened slowly to a tavern filled with people, laughing and dancing. The scent of cactus juice liquor filled the air with acidic and sweet scents.

The woman looked at Korra with merciful eyes and beckoned her inside. Korra followed her, only to have the smells launch another coughing spell.

“Something for a dying weasel fox, please,” the mysterious woman told the juicer at the counter. “And, a cactus weed mix for me.” She hopped onto a bar stool and slapped her hand on the seat next to her. The golden bells on her bracelet jingled. “Take a seat before you make acquaintance with the floor!” she said to Korra.

Korra hopped on, still covering half her face with her arm. The drinks arrived in a flash. “Drink it down, fast,” the juicer told Korra before walking away to serve other customers.

“What’s _cough_ in this?” Korra asked the woman next to her.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re going to cough your insides out. Now drink,” she held the glass up to Korra’s face. Korra thought she could trust her, but smelled it before downing the whole drink.

Her throat felt like it was on fire and her eyes started to water. However, her throat was cleared. “Wow,” Korra said as she rubbed her throat. “That really worked.”

“Of course it did. He’s the best juicer in the house,” she winked at the juicer a couple seats down. “He has been for a few years.”

“Thanks for the drink,” Korra got up to leave and started pulling her money out to repay the stranger.

“Hey, that was desert capital hospitality,” the woman waved away at the money. “It looks like you’ve had a rough time here.”

“I’m just passing by…”

“Passing by is… playing underground pro-bending matches?”

“Well, a girl’s gotta eat.”

The woman laughed. She adjusted the folds on her long desert robe. “Say, where are you from?”

Korra dreaded this question. “A small town …in the middle of nowhere.” She looked around nervously. _I mean, you could say the compound the White Lotus kept me in is in the middle of nowhere, right? That might be a stretch…_

“You know, you’re not really good at lying!” The woman said with a laugh. “But you’re funny. Let’s have a few drinks.” She waved her hand at the juicer.

“I should get going, thanks again---“

“Oh, come on. My friend is supposed to meet me here, but she’s going to be a bit late. Share a few drinks with me.”

Korra looked around. There were burly men and women too big for their seats at tables too small for them. They loudly clanged their glasses together in cheers. And, here, this nameless woman was going to sit alone at a bar. “I guess, I could sit here…” Korra slowly sat back down.

“Wahoo!” The sand bender woman yelled. The juicer came by.

“One of everything on the happy cactus hour menu!” she ordered.

“Getting cactied before the crew gets here?” the juicer asked.

“More like welcoming a guest!” She downed her drink in one shot. Her green eyes twinkled as she felt the burn in her throat. “And that, too. What’d you say your name was?”

“Kor… just Kor.”

“Kor? Like the core of an apple?”

“Uh, yeah…”

Before she could ask any more questions, the juicer came by with a huge tray of drinks with metallic colors and pastels.

~~

“Mm, that one was tasty!” Korra said contentedly as she slammed the cup onto the counter.

“I told you! Just one to three ratio of cactus fruit nectar to seaweed extract.”

“I want something stronger,” Korra said with hungry eyes at the glasses in front of her. “These drinks make feel strangely… happy.”

The woman looked at her like she was a puppy that just stumbled on new toys. “Try that one,” she pointed to one that was colorless.

“Really?” Korra was skeptical. “All the colorful ones have been pretty strong, but that one?”

“Oh, trust me,” the near tipsy girl waved her hand at Korra’s skepticism.

“Alright!” Korra felt the liquid hit her tongue like bitter medicine. She winced at the taste, but swallowed it down fast.

“Ughhh,” Korra wiped her mouth. “I can’t believe people drink this on a daily b-basis.”

“I know, right? Who would have thought about drinking this stuff? I mean, it tastes like poison.”

The word ‘poison’ made her skin crawl. She could feel goose bumps rising on her arms. Her bare arms that felt Zaheer’s mercurial torture. The Avatar subconsciously started rubbed her forearms.  
“Hey, are you alright?”

“Yeah, yeah… I just… poison… Some crazy man tried to poison me a while ago,” Korra said. _Why am I telling her this? I feel like I can’t control what I’m saying… What’s going on…_ “I just need another drink,” Korra said as she eyed all the drinks left on the counter. This was the second round of drinks they had ordered. She snatched one and felt the deceiving warmth trickle throughout her body.

“Wait, what? Who?”

“Yeah, he went all Guru Laghima on me.” _What the heck am I saying?_

“Guru-who?”

“Laghhiiiiiiiiimaaaaaaa. You know, llama. Yiiii-ma.”

“Umm, I think you’ve had too much to drink,” she said, scooting the glasses away from Korra.

“No, one more,” Korra snatched a glass as she felt her memories blurring with her reality. She was scared to see Zaheer’s face again.

“Hey! Sorry we’re late!” A group of people walked into the door towards the bar. Her new friend waved back.

“You guys, come meet Kor!”

“Hey, didn’t you play in the pro-bending match yesterday?” one of the guys asked Korra.

“Yesss, I did! Hey,” Korra turned to the woman next to her. ”How come the last drink tasted like water? I think your juicer scammed youuuu,” Korra said.

“She’s had a little too much,” the woman placed a concerned hand on Korra’s forearm.

The soft, warm touch woke Korra up from her drunken reverie. It sent shivers down her spine. She could see the woman’s glowing hand contrasted against her caramel skin. This instance of human contact was the closest to something sentimental she had felt in a long time. Wandering through the desert against rough, hot sand and the violent impacts from matches made her forget how it felt to be _touched._ It shocked her senses, the senses that were so accustomed to hugs and human contact. She looked up and gazed into the emerald green eyes. Asami appeared before her.

_What the spirits?!_

Korra retracted her arm. She shook her head to clear her vision again, but her vision swished and swoshed back and forth.

Her new friend looked at her, confused. “What’s wrong, Kor?”

Korra had not felt sentimental human contact for a long time. Nothing as close as Asami’s touch. A sudden wave of nostalgia washed over her like a tidal wave. She could not explain this growing sense of longing.

“Are you okay?” Asami’s voice echoed behind her and she could feel Asami’s hands on her shoulders again. Korra turned around, but no one was there. Her shoulders felt a ghostly remnant of her hands fade away.

“Hey, looks like you should lay off that happy juice,” Bolin appeared next to her. She blinked, and he was gone.

“I’m s-sorry,” Korra said as she slid off the barstool. She teetered over, but stabilized herself with her hand gripping the counter. “I need to go home.” Korra walked away.

“You don’t look so good,” Mako said as he rigidly stood by, but faded away in an instant.

The woman grabbed her arm. “You can’t go alone like this. Come on, I’ll walk you home,” she said as she got up to leave.

Korra could not stand looking at neither her nor her touch. “I’m fine!” She retracted her arm. “Thanks for the drinks,” and Korra tried running out as best she could.

“Hey, where’s your friend going?” Korra heard one of the guys from the group say as she left.

Korra ran through the door, trying not to shove the people coming in.

She raced out into the street, but she felt herself falling over to one side. “Asami,” she whispered to herself. Then, memories of Team Avatar flashed through her head. Her head throbbed and her knees felt weak. Suddenly, a dark figure appeared in her periphery. She slowly turned her head and squinted to see what stood in the alley:

The glowing eyes bored into her soul. She had chains, hanging from her wrists, ready to wring Korra into the abyss. It lifted its arm, and slung a chain towards her.

 _Clack!_ The chain smacked into the bricks.

Korra had dodged the flying chains by hiding behind the wall. She quickly ran past the alley to hide. Breathing hard, Korra kept walking. As she neared another alleyway, she leaned her back against the adjacent wall for support. She gulped and peered around the corner. No one was there. Alone, she collapsed into the empty alley, fatigued and disoriented.

She woke up to a blinding light piercing through her eyelids. Her head ached like a pounding hammer.

Splashing cold water onto her face, Korra tried to ignore the pain in her head. _Get yourself together!_ she repeated to herself. Despite all the pain and unhealed wounds on her arms, legs, and back, the Avatar headed into the pro-bending ring once again that night.

~

After that match, Korra left that desert town to travel to another. She never saw that woman again.

~  
 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretend Korra Alone Episode happens and then proceed to read the following chapter.

CHAPTER FOUR

~

"Mm," Asami mumbled as she felt the silky smoothness of her bed sheets against her face. She had dived into her bed after a long day at the machine shop. The smell of roses emanating from the aromatic candle calmed her senses after inhaling the toxic, exhilarating smell of motor oil for hours.

Once she closed her eyes, all she could see were chalk lines and measurements for prototypes she reviewed that day. They had been ingrained in her memory. Unconsciously, she had been massaging her knuckle that was bruised from unscrewing a particularly sticky pipe in a prototype satomobile.

Asami heard the clock ticking before she drifted into sleep...

Then, all she could see was a burning red light, piercing the fragility of her slumber. A whirling sound penetrated the silence.

"...Break In! Machine Shop 2! Break in!" The automated voice blared through the intercom into the sleek bedroom. The Estate Security System had gone off.

Asami shot up from bed and mechanically suited up. She ran down the steps, sliding down the handrail like she did as a little girl. This time she was not going to race but to fight.

The intruders panicked in the machine shop. Before they could reach the underground shop that her father had made for the Equalist mecha tanks, one of the personal guards spotted them through a window and sounded the alarm.

"I thought you said this place was cleaned out! No alarms! That's what you said!" One of the intruders shouted to his assailant.

"It’s been a while! I don't know! The lady probably put in some upgrades!" He squealed, the flashing lights slightly disorienting him. Then, a tall metal barrier came crashing down from the ceiling. One of the intruders lifted his toes just in time to avoid the descending metal fence. Another barrier crashed down on the left and right, cornering them. The shop immediately went into lockdown, effectively trapping them. A hissing noise sounded from above.

"If those are falling snake-geckos I'm going to die!" Another intruder yelled.

"Get a grip!" The lead commander shouted.

The hissing sound grew louder as it fell. It was a can of knock out gas, punctured and spraying wildly into the room.

The band of intruders coughed into their sleeves before collapsing.

Asami flipped a cover to a small switchboard disguised as a light switch. She flipped another switch and pressed a button before closing the cover again. A giant fan in the ceiling of the machine shop spun into life, clearing the toxic fog within seconds.

Followed by her crew of armed guards, she stormed in. The CEO had lost so much in her life; she safeguarded everything she could.

The siren continued blaring. The raven-haired engineer took one good look at the intruders, who slightly appeared intimidated as they woke up.

"Tie them up," Asami directed.

*

"Let me make this clear," the young woman said with a vengeful voice. "You are trespassing. I could have killed you, but I didn't. Why are you targeting my company?"

The lead commander, tied several times around his waist, hands, and legs to the chair, did not move a muscle in the machine shop.

Impatient and frustrated with the fact that she had an early morning meeting and she had to deal with this scoundrel and so many others, Asami lost her temper.

She activated her electric glove and made a fist with her hand hanging at her side. As she tightened her fist, the electric sparks cracked louder and fiercer. She pinned him down with her other hand. "Who sent you?!" Her voice echoed throughout the garage.

"All Hail the Great Uniter," he said spitefully.

Confused, Asami thought he was insane for a second. Then, Chief Beifong's police force came charging in.

In near awe, Lin scrutinized her surroundings. "This is quite a security system you've got here, Asami."

The CEO gave her a slight nod. "It's not much." _The Satos learned their lessons from waiting for any kind of government police,_ Asami thought to herself. _I'm starting to sound like my father._

"We'll take it from here," Lin said as her guards started to round up the intruders.

"Thanks. Chief, the lead guy over there said something about 'The Great Uniter.'"

"Seems like what some of those whack jobs are saying downtown. No one knows what they’re talking about. Our research team is on it. Did they steal anything?"

Asami shook her head.

As the policeman escorted the lead commander out, he appeared shocked as he took another look at Asami. “Spirits, you have Earth Kingdom eyes!”

“Move along!” the policeman shoved him out the door.

Asami looked away, confused. 

"Well, try to get some sleep, kid." Lin said, ignoring his comment.

Asami slept fine that night. She knew how to take care of herself.

**

“Miss Sato, we find your assembly lines impressive, but what’s your proposal for how this might translate to building better mobileways for Republic City?” The city’s Deputy Director of Urban Planning asked the CEO of Future Industries.

 _If you were listening, you would have heard it earlier._ Asami still repeated what she had said. When clients visited her for a tour of the factory, it used to make her nervous. However with much practice, she became an expert presenter.

For some reason, this group was not engaged at all on this client tour.

As the director and his team peered over the railings at the robotic assembly line, Asami spotted a spirit at a window across the way. It seemed to be upset, jumping up and down. Conflicted between leaving her stuffy clients and her curiosity, she eventually decided to excuse herself.

“Miss, how does this even work, I mean...” The particularly snobbish director called after her.

Asami looked out the window and what she saw enraged her. She pulled out one of her signature gloves from a fingerprint locked safe nearby.

Asami's assistant stayed back with the clients, but she was suddenly intimidated to see her boss in such a rage.

The clients watched in confusion as the CEO effortlessly thrust open a set of double doors. They followed her to see the commotion.

"This is private property!" Asami grabbed the back neck collars of two hoodlums about to destroy a wall.

One of them raised his leg to back kick her, but she dodged it and threw him down. The gang closed in on her to attack her. Little did they know she had combat fighting skills well beyond their expectations.

~

With six gangsters moaning in pain, Asami brushed off her hands and pants from loose gravel. She delicately picked off a few fabric frills from between her gloved fingers. Her clients were frightened, but also impressed with how this poised woman could possess this much physical strength and agility.

“Call Mako or the police for me,“ the CEO calmly said to her assistant nearby. The director walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. "Miss Sato, can we resume the tour?"

"Oh, yes. My apologies. I just wanted to... Let you have a chance to see the assembly lines without me hovering over your shoulder."

"Well, we have questions and it doesn't help if you need to take care of inadequate security measures instead of answering my questions," he said aggressively.

The young CEO tried to control her temper in her reply to this demanding and inattentive client. She didn't speak, trying to find diplomatic words but coming up short.

"Look, I want to speak to the CEO of Future Industries at this instant," he barked at her and raised his finger for emphasis.

Asami had it. She crossed her arms.

"Um, sir, she is the CEO," his mouse-like secretary said nervously.

His face froze in embarrassment.

"Wh-why wasn't I told?"

"You said you didn't believe it when I was briefing you in the car and then you wanted to take a nap on the way here but we--"

"Alright! Alright!" He barked at her. He gulped and broke a sweat as Asami watched his every move.

"My, it's just-! Who-! Umm..."

Asami gathered herself and spoke with the most formal tone she could. "I also introduced myself in the beginning of our encounter. Now, I think it may be in your best interest if you review the Future Industries Memo sent to our clients that will most likely answer all of your questions. My assistant will walk your team out."

With a nod of her head she acknowledged the rest of the group before walking away.

As she opened the door to an adjacent office, someone tapped her on the shoulder. It was one of the businessmen of the group.

"Miss Sato," he had an apologetic look on his face.

"Yes?"

"I want to apologize on his behalf. We really do want to do business with you. He just...doesn't have the right direction--"

"This isn't the first time I've met people like him. It's alright."

He felt sorry for her. He knew how it felt to be marginalized.

"Again, my apologies. We'll follow up with you soon."

Asami nodded her head and continued into her office. After a meeting with her team to expand her factory, she went back to assess the vandalism. It had started to rain. The rain droplets fell like icicles on her face as she exited the building.

A crack ran along the damaged wall. As she eyed the amount of mortar needed, she spotted a ripped patch of clothing on the wet floor. There was a symbol on the patch that she did not recognize, but it looked a bit familiar. She took a mental picture of it.

Her assistant came running with an umbrella. He followed the CEO to the spot on the floor while opening up the umbrella. Asami bent down, examined it, and then delicately picked up the limp piece of fabric with her black-leathered gloved hands.

"Do you recognize it?" Asami asked her assistant.

"No, but it's a poor sewing job for sure," he replied critically.

"No, I think I was too rough with the vandals this afternoon and ripped it off," Asami said nonchalantly.

"Oh," he said surprised.

She tossed the patch back into the puddle. "Let's go. It's time to finish this once and for all."

~

"What's the security report?" Asami asked from her office. Pele rested on its perch in a corner of the room.

"These vandals all have something in common," one of the guards began.

"We examined the symbol you showed us and visited the vandals downtown. Some of them have this hidden symbol underneath a flap on their uniforms. If it weren't for Meng," she motioned to the guard across the room, "we wouldn't have caught it."

The guard showed Asami a sketch of the symbol from a drawing notepad. Asami compared it to her original sketch based on her mental picture. They were identical.

"This symbol is found on the clothing of all Earth Kingdom rebels. It seems to be associated with Kuvira’s army.”

"Kuvira? Who's Kuvira? What do the Earth Kingdom rebels want to do with my factory?" Asami asked.

"She's ascending through the ranks of the Earth Kingdom army. Her plan of action, we're not sure. Police say that Earth Kingdom rebels are causing problems all over Republic City. The rebels have been interrogated, but won’t spill on their motive or plan of action."

Asami was concerned. “But Mako said one of the incidents was from the local school."

"Their ages range from teenage years and beyond."

"Hmm, this is strange," Asami said, rather unsettled. "Anyway, good work. I'll need heightened security measures, so expect your teams to increase in size. Thanks for the report."

After they left, Asami decided that she would have to develop her technology with more secretive methods. She immediately made provisions and requests to change her factory's regulations. And, she made a few phone calls to her trusted team at Future Industries.

“We need an emergency meeting as soon as possible. Our project is at stake. And Republic City might be as well.”

~

Asami and Mako met at a local pastry shop.

“Hey, Mako!” Asami waved from a table. He waved and gave her a hug.

“What time are we meeting at Kuang’s again?” Mako said as he took a sip from his coffee.

“6:30PM. Is Prince Wu going to be with us when Korra meets us at Kuang’s?” Asami asked, hoping the answer was no. She had enough of the entitled prince.

“No,” Mako scoffed. “I’m not his little servant boy. I can make him go off and play with his expensive toys.”

“Are you sure? You are his bodyguard.”

“Asami, don’t worry. It’ll just be three of us, you, Korra, and me. I can handle Wu,” he said haughtily and crossed his arms. 

~

Asami picked up a magazine in the lobby of Kuang’s cuisine. _They did a nice job on these Future Industries advertisements,_ Asami noted to herself. _I’ll increase the marketing department’s bonus this quarter._

As Korra walked into the lobby, she was excited to see Asami. No, she was ecstatic. However, her excitement seemed to slightly dissipate when she remembered that she had cut herself off from Asami. _She must be so hurt. I mean, I wrote one, lousy letter. There were so many things I wanted to say, and I’m not sure if I can even say them now._ When Asami lifted her eyes and looked at her, Korra felt the warmth return to her fingers and the anxiety slightly faded away.

“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long,”

~  
 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This part generally follows the Reunion Episode with some changes.)

“Korra!” Mako greeted her with a hug.

“Hi, Mako,” she hugged him back.

“Hello, there! Prince Wu, rightful heir to the throne and this guy’s boss. I bet he’s told you a lot about me.” Wu flexed his shapely eyebrows. 

“Nope, not a thing.” Korra said in minor disgust. 

“Then, we have sooo much to talk about. You are going to love the food here. I know the chef personally. Let’s start with a round of the spicy octopus fritters. And, keep the cucumber-aloe water flowing, gotta keep this princely skin hydrated.”

“I thought it was just going to be the three of us,” Asami angrily whispered to Mako as she saw Wu getting comfortable in the booth.

 _You had one job, Mako. One job._ Asami fumed in her head.

“Sorry…I- uh, I couldn’t ditch him, but he promised to be on his best behavior,” Mako said sheepishly. 

“Hey, pop into the Avatar state for me. I wanna see your eyes glow!” Wu said.

“What?! No!” Korra scowled.

“So… can you go into the Avatar state again? I was worried when you told me you couldn’t,” Asami pouted.

“Wait, when did she tell you she couldn’t?” Mako shot questioning looks his two ex-girlfriends. “What’s going on between you two?”

“I wrote to Asami when I was away… I told her not to tell you. I’m sorry.” Korra said.

“Well, why didn’t you write to me or Bolin?” Mako fumed.

“I don’t know… I guess I didn’t know what to say.” 

“A ‘hello’ would’ve been nice.”

“Mako, if it makes you feel any better, she didn’t write me either.” Wu said.

“Why would she – never mind.” Mako crossed his arms in frustration. 

“I’m sorry, I didn't stay in touch, but I’m back now and I want to know everything that's going on with you two!” Korra said excitedly as she turned towards Asami.

“Well, I kind of have big news…” Asami took a deep breath. “I went to visit my father for the first time. He’d been writing me letters and…I guess I finally felt ready to forgive him.” 

“Are you sure you can trust him? He might just be manipulating you again.”

“You think I don’t know what my own father is capable of?!”

“No, I didn’t mean—“ 

“You don't get to disappear for three years and act like you know what’s best for me!”

“It’s not like I planned to be gone for that long, I wanted to come back but I never felt ready until now.”

“As much as I’m enjoying this little catch up,” Wu slipped out of the booth. “My royal bladder is about to explode. Mako, come on, I need you to stand guard.”

“I’m not going to hold your hand every time you need to empty your royal bladder. Go to the bathroom on your own for once.” Mako said.

Wu frowned and said, “Fine…”

“Do you always go to the bathroom with him?” Korra asked Mako.

“I don't go with him, I just stand there in the general vicinity while he--- I don't want to talk about it.” Mako slumped further into the booth.

~ 

“I wonder what’s taking Wu so long. He’s not one to miss out on lunch. I’ll go check up on him.” Mako said with a hint of concern in his voice.

“I’m sorry Korra. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. It’s just been really hard for me to deal with this mess with my father,” Asami said apologetically. 

“No, you’re right,” Korra said. “I just really want to make sure you’re going to be alright....” _To hold or not to hold her hand? The struggle…_

The desire to just lean into Korra and feel that she was really here, with her, was strong, but it did not seem like the right time. “Let’s go check on Mako and Prince Wu,” Asami said.

~

(Going along with the episode, Prince Wu gets kidnapped. Korra, Asami, and Mako rescue him just in time.)

Off the train tracks:

“Not exactly what I imagined for our first day together,” Korra said. 

“But it was kind of like old times, except for the getting on each other’s nerves part.” Asami said.

“Actually, that is like old times for me and Korra.” Mako said, rather proudly. 

_Getting on each other’s nerves is like old times?_ Asami looked at the former pair with disguised disdain. _Geez, what kind of relationship did you two have? Anyway, Mako, you’re going down like a game of Pai Sho. This is going to be easy. I’m not losing this one again. That pout in the restaurant was just the beginning._ Asami thought to herself. She was also slightly irritated from dealing with Mako today. 

~

“How are we going to get back?” Mako asked as he examined the deserted landscape. 

“There! Let’s climb that staircase to get back to the city,” Korra directed. 

As they climbed a weathered staircase on the side of the mountain, it started to rain. The handrail was made of wood and covered in splotches of moss.

“Ah, my hair! I got this permed this morning!” Prince Wu squealed. He grabbed onto Mako’s arm, trying not to slip.

“Come on, it’s just a little sprinkling of rain,” Mako said,

However, the rain started pouring harder and harder, until it was hard to look up to the end of the staircase without getting your eyeballs pelted.

“Or not,” Mako admitted.

“Guys!” Korra tried to shout above the howling wind and rain. She was in the last of group. “Hold on, I can make a shield.”

They stopped in their steps as Korra ran up and water bent a giant air bubble. They walked up the stairs faster than before. Asami still managed to slip on the wet steps though. Korra caught her by the hand and pulled her back up.

“Thanks,” Asami said gratefully.

“Anytime,” Korra said sweetly.

Then, by some coincidence, Prince Wu slipped. Mako heard a splash and a thud. “Wu down! Wu dowwwwn!” Wu held onto his knee, intensely wincing.

“What? Where does it hurt?” Mako asked worriedly.

“My knee, my royal knee! Oh-hu-hu, I’m ruined!”

Korra rolled her eyes. With a wave of her hand, she sent a healing glob of water to Wu’s knee for a couple seconds. Then, she flicked her hand again to remove the water and threw it over the stairs.

“Oh! I’m healed! I’m healed! Korra, you’re an angel!” He said as he still sat on the floor. “You know, you’re really good with your hands,” he said flirtatiously, his hand imitating a pawing tiger.

“Get up,” Korra commanded. “Let’s go,” she said moving past him as he got up on the steps.

Asami had an urge to step on his royal toes. She graciously stepped over him though. 

When they reached the top of the steps, Mako asked, “So, any ideas for how we can get back to civilization?” They looked all around them, only a single narrow road, tall trees, and ominous thunderclouds that went on and on for miles.

Asami looked up to see if she could see any tracing of the sun through the clouds. “If I could just get a read on which way is West…”

Korra closed her eyes. She concentrated on her arm. Then, she shot a single blast of air through the bubble encasing them, the low lying clouds, and the clouds above, just enough for the sun to show its shadow.

Asami read from the shadow which way to go. “There’s a train station down that way,” Asami pointed. “We can manage to get there by foot in time for sunset.”

“I don’t see it,” Mako said squinting hard.

“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Korra said sarcastically.

“You can’t, it’s hidden among the trees,” Asami said as she started walking without Mako’s validation.

As they walked in a single file line over the next five minutes, Wu started to get restless. “So, how about for some tunes? It’ll be like we’re on a wild camping trip!”

No response.

“Don’t worry guys, I’ll get Team Avatar out of the dumps in this rainy weather!” Wu started singing with much bravado, “Rain rain go away, come again--”

“Wu, can you please…!” Mako said agitated. “When you sing, the sound just echoes in this bubble!”

“Sorry, was that too high? My badger moles seem to enjoy it. Strange how you guys wouldn’t like it. Badger moles are experts on pitch.” Wu cleared his throat and sang an octave lower, “Raaaain raaaain go away come again another dayyyy! If you don’t, I don’t care, I’ll get water benders to—”

“Oh, look!” Asami cut him off. “The rain is starting to stop.” It was true. The loud pitter-patter of rain on the bubble around them started to subside. They could hear their footsteps again, and Wu’s echoing voice was no longer ringing in their ears.

Korra popped the bubble, breathing a sigh of relief from housing that sound-magnifying bubble with Wu. She rubbed her ears vigorously. She shot Asami a thankful glance. Asami returned it. Korra spotted a train station a few hundred meters behind Asami.

“Hey, look! The train station Asami was talking about! Oh shoot, did anyone bring any money for the train?” Korra asked.

Mako flipped out his empty pockets, and he looked at Wu. Wu checked his pocket. “My coin purse must’ve rolled out while I was being kidnapped. Or the guards stole it. Good thing I only had 55,000 yuans on me,” Wu said care freely.

“What?! Didn’t I tell you to only bring 200 yuans with you when you leave the palace?’ Mako scolded.

“Guys, it’s okay,” Asami interrupted. “I built this station, remember? There are some free perks to building the city’s infrastructure.” Asami said it as if constructing railway systems was an everyday thing.

~

The train reached a main station. The line they were on led to the Air Temple Island Ferry while the transfer line across the way led to Republic City Downtown.

“Well, this is our stop,” Mako off-boarded with Wu who was still humming tunes to various songs. “Have a safe ride back, you two, together. Wait, I just mean you two are on the train together just not toget--or you--ergh, nevermind,” he said as he pinched his nose for letting that one slip out.

The train door closed.

“Call me,” Wu mouthed to Korra through the train door window.

Korra cringed and scowled at him. “Ugh, he just doesn’t know when to stop,” she commented to Asami.

Asami was giggling. “I’m not sure if I’m mainly laughing because of Mako or Wu, or it’s both.”

Korra looked at her and understood what she said. Korra burst into laughter. Asami’s giggle erupted into laughter. They both laughed loudly as they stood by the train door. Korra had to hold onto her stomach since she was laughing so hard. After a while, Asami noticed the other train passengers looked uncomfortable, but she kept smiling and maintained her happy demeanor. “Oh my,’” she said wiping laughing tears from the corners of her eyes and catching her breath. “I think we’re scaring the other passengers. We should go to the other train.”

They crossed into another train car, but it was filled with people.

“Follow me,” Asami said. They scooted between people standing in the crowded train car into the first-class train car.

There was an attendant guarding the door as it slid open. Behind him was another door on the outside of the train car, ornately decorated and labeled, “First Class Private Car 1.” His eyes grew big as he recognized Asami Sato.

“Miss Sato, welcome,” he said formally and scooted over to let her pass.

“Thank you,” she said with a slight nod of her head. Korra followed close behind her, impressed.

As they entered the red and gold decorated room, Korra could almost smell the faint scent of roses in the air. The red velvet floor seemed to glow against the gilded curtains. There was even a cherry wood vanity table, glossy in the light of the crystal chandeliers. Two chairs and a love seat were placed on either side of the train car. "Wow, you do travel in style,” Korra commented as she looked around her.

“Oh, I never ride back here. President Raiko requested these cars to be specially made for the high-end clients of Republic City.”

“Well, it is nice.”

Right after Korra said that, the train made a sharp swerve on its usual track. Asami let herself lose her balance as she fell into Korra’s arms, Asami’s face nearly slamming into Korra’s shoulder. Korra instantly raised her arms to give Asami support.

“I’m sorry,” Asami said as she pushed off of Korra’s forearms to steady herself. Her face was hot.

Korra could see that Asami was trying to hide her face. Korra was also a little flustered. As Asami made a quick pivot to turn around, Korra managed to stutter, “It’s—it’s okay.”

“Do you want anything to drink?” Asami asked as she reached for a nearby cabinet stocked full of deep colored glass bottles.

“Gee, it’s been so long since I drank…” Korra said, remembering her last strange experience with that colorless liquid in the desert. “Is there water?”

“Oh yeah, well, I meant still or sparkling water, I don’t remember you actually drinking,” Asami said as she pulled out two glasses and an ice bucket. “Or, did you pick up some habits while wandering?” the CEO said, trying to sound more playful and less resentful.

Korra leaned against one of the love seats. _Man, that is soft,_ she noted to herself. “Uhh, well…” She let the ice cubes clanging into the wine glasses fill in the silence. Asami mechanically filled the two cups of water and handed one of them to Korra.

“Thanks,” Korra said, trying to buy herself some time.

Asami figured Korra wasn’t ready to talk about what happened those three years. “How’s Naga doing?” she asked cheerfully.

Korra’s face lit up. “Oh yeah, she’s great! I think she got a little out of shape since I wasn’t there to play with her. But she’s so much more obedient and knows even more tricks than I could have ever imagined. Katara must have spent a lot of time with her. Like, she can even flip and kick something upside down, with one paw!”

“That's great! She can flip in mid-air?”

Korra nodded excitedly. “Yeah! And she can alternate between her left front paw or the right front paw or her back two.”

“How long does it take to teach a polar bear dog a trick?”

“It depends. Fetch was pretty easy, it was just a couple hours. It’s really how many treats you go through. Oh, spirits… I remember it took a whole month’s worth of a catch of fish to get her to learn how to roll over.”

The engineer laughed. “That’s intense.”

“Yeah, my parents weren’t too happy with that. This was before I learned to cut the fish in half instead of giving her the whole fish.”

“Oh yeah, that would double your supply.”

Korra shrugged. “I’m still learning.”

“Hey, speaking of learning, I never got the chance to teach you that move during our sparring session.”

“Oh yeah! What did I call it?”

“The one you called, the flying Asami flipping scissor kick.”

Korra chuckled. “I remember now! We should have some time now. Up for another sparring session? I need some practice.”

“Of course. Let me see…” Asami said as she visualized her mental calendar. “I should be free tomorrow morning? Oh wait, mornings are eviiiil,” she tried to imitate Korra’s voice. She switched around some appointments in her head and made a note to tell her secretary.

Korra laughed and smiled a crooked grin.

“How about tomorrow afternoon at around 2pm?” Asami suggested.

“Sounds great! That fits perfectly after the city council meeting about Kuvira and the Earth Kingdom’s status.”

“Right… About that…” Asami hesitated.

Korra waited for Asami to finish. The attendant opened the door.

“Uhm, nothing. It’s our stop!” She led the way out of the train car.

Korra walked with Asami to her car at the Air Temple Island Ferry parking lot. “See you tomorrow?” Asami asked as she gave Korra a close hug.

“2pm, sharp,” Korra said as she indulged in the brief moment of holding Asami close to her again.

 


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

The Next Day

“You can’t drag Future Industries into this,” Korra said, her voice rising at the city council meeting.

“Miss Sato has already graciously agreed to assist in war against Kuvira and her army,” President Raiko said matter-of-factly.

“What?” Korra tried to process this information. “When did this happen?” _Why didn’t she tell me…?_

“About a year ago. You were gone at the time. Now, it’s time to stop going over redundant information. Miss Sato provided an update this morning that Operation Hawk is nearing completion within the week. However, we’re still waiting upon a timeline for a city-wide evacuation route that will be clear of Operation Hawk’s effects.”

“I’ll get that timeline,” Korra said.

Earlier that morning

Asami’s secretary burst through the door. "There are some people identifying themselves as government officials wanting to see you, but I told them they don't have an appointment. Do you want me to send them away?"

Before Asami could respond, a man pushed her secretary out of the way and led a procession of people into Asami's office.

"Excuse---" Asami got up to protect her secretary, but one of them slammed the door on the poor receptionist.

"Miss Sato. I am Bataar Junior. "

"I know who you are. You need to get out of my office. What makes you think you have a right to barge in here just because you work for Kuvira?"

"You'll learn soon enough. Now, if you want to keep your recent energy 'project' confidential I suggest you take a seat.

 _How did he know?_ She had to be strategic about her reaction. "What project are you talking about?"

"Look, Miss Sato. May I call you Asami?"

"No."

Bataar Junior waved his hand to shrug it off. "Let's skip the questions. I know you're the top tech giant of Republic City. Future Industries is innovative and has gotten back on its feet so quickly."

Bataar Junior observed Asami's every move. Asami's expression was unchanged. He cleared his throat.

"Your company could really make big impacts beyond the city. We've been watching you and we'd like to make a proposition."

"Before you begin, Future Industries has a lot on its plate right now. You'll have to submit a proposal formally to the client development department. But, at this rate, barging in with demands will get you nowhere. Now, leave."

"We weren't really asking," Bataar Junior said with a slight chuckle. Then he grew serious. "You have no choice."

The CEO was skeptical. Then she saw the familiar symbol on his jacket. 

She connected the dots. She ran a thousand possibilities in her head. _I need more time..._

The CEO want to unleash her fury. _You sent the vandals to damage my property! I'd rather burn my factory to the ground MYSELF than help in tyranny!_ She screamed in her head.

Asami's mind was rapid firing all the possible routes and strategies to get her out of this situation unscathed. She could easily take them down but there's bound to be more of the Earth Kingdom's army in Republic City. She thought about reaching for the panic button with her leg under her desk, but what would that do? It'd only anger them and they would come after her. Or worse. They'd go after her family and friends... And Korra. Her heart dropped hundreds of feet, but she fought the strongest urge to show weakness.

As she came to this realization she knew she had to play it safe. There was no way out, though. Asami would need to accept a bitter truth.

Bataar Junior's face darkened and his voice grew sinister. "Now, before you alert the others, you should know that Kuvira has already infiltrated the city. I mean, we almost captured Prince Wu, and your little Team Avatar."

"The new Earth Kingdom Empire will prevail regardless of what you do. You either join this noble cause or you, your company, anything in the way of uniting the Empire will perish."

She hated responding to threats. Asami took a deep breath. She changed her demeanor. “That’s not necessary, Bataar.” Asami casually waved off her hand to show she was not affected by his threat. “I’ve been reading about the great progress of Kuvira’s army. This is a deal I would only think that it'd be in the Earth Kingdom’s... best interest if it considers my terms as well. After all I'll be supplying the technology and knowledge at my will." She said coyly. 

"Go on," Bataar Junior said cautiously.

"Bataar, you must know a lot about me," Asami said rather warmly. "Yes, Korra's my friend--" Bataar Junior tensed up. "But you should know I lost my mother to a fire bender at the tender age of 6. And now my father is in jail for being an Equalist. Seeing him in prison... was unbearable. My own father… in jail… reduced to such groveling means.” Asami threw up her hand to emphasize her frustration, but kept her actions subtle. She started crying, tears of agony and sorrows lined her eyes.

Bataar's team shifted nervously on their feet.

"And I came to one conclusion that answers why all of this tragedy surrounds my life." Asami dotted her eyes with some tissue. "Benders,” she said decisively. “My mother was from the Earth Kingdom, so I respect Earth Kingdom benders. I mean, don't my eyes give it away?" She shot him a subtle, charming look with her merciful eyes.

Bataar cleared his throat again.

“I kept that spirit energy project confidential because Cabbage Corp has been plotting to steal Future Industries’ trade secrets. You saw it in the papers. The trial we launched against them is still on going. So," Asami continued, "you've come to the right place at the right time. I'll work with Kuvira's army. I want to avenge my family against all this...chaos."

"Then, we have a deal. You'll find our cause is a valuable use of your resources." Bataar said calmly.

“Any cause for the greater good is worth it.”

“There is one more thing. The Avatar.”

“I’ll take care of it. She won’t know a thing.” Asami said with cold eyes.

Bataar Junior stuck out his hand to shake on the deal. He observed her body movements closely for any sign of wavering loyalty. He found none.

**

“The file you requested, Miss Sato,” her secretary handed to her a report on Varrick’s project from Bataar Junior. Asami and Varrick were instructed to work together. Varrick wrote all over the margins, “This is mine!” over and over. There were occasional notes like, “This was Zhu Li’s – but mostly my genius! If it weren’t for me eating two hot peppers instead of three Zhu LI would have never brought me one less cup of tea and she would have never thought about changing the voltage requirements on this machine!” 

“To be honest, he does not sound like a good person to work with,” Her secretary said. “I highlighted the important parts of his, erm, essay at the end of each section.”

“I’m sure we’ll have our differences,” Asami said, just from glancing from the first page of the file. “And, thanks.” She picked up her cup of tea to sip as she leisurely went through his file. Her secretary shuffled some papers to give her another report.

Asami skipped to the last page of the document. Calculations filled the entire page. After each calculation, a written phrase appeared next to a numerical answer: “Your result x 4.” Asami reviewed the numerical answer against her own and found that the numerical answer typed set on there was completely wrong. She saw in the corner of the page that there was an alphanumeric key, under layers of writing of “This is mine! This is mine!” and other rambling writing. Varrick disguised a cryptic message under his notes.

It was almost illegible, but Asami could still make out what numbers were associated with which letters of the alphabet. She grabbed the nearest pencil she could, which was a sketching pencil, and starting decoding. Suddenly, Asami dropped her teacup. Her whole body froze in complete shock. She snapped out of it when she realized her tea was spilling all over her desk and onto her thigh.

“What is it, Asami?” Her secretary ran over with a handkerchief to help the CEO clean up her desk.

“Oh, umm, Varrick is a genius,” Asami lied. “I have to get my shop now—I’ll take the other reports later,” Asami got up and ran out of her office and opened the door to the staircase. Her heart was pounding out of her chest. Everything around her seemed to be spinning. Asami leaned on the wall for support.

_Kuvira wants to kill me._

**

Asami Sato was not scared. She fought many foes before, literally. However, what seemed to scare her more was the ambiguity. It was as if the game rules had changed or there weren't any rules at all.

“Why would Kuvira want to kill me?” Asami asked Varrick at the meeting the following day. Kuvira’s soldiers were outside the factory guarding the doors.

“Kill? Did I write kill? I mean to write ‘bait.’ Zhu Li, why didn’t you check my work?”

“I did, sir. You said you wanted to write ‘kill’ instead since that was closer to the truth,” Zhu Li answered in a steely tone.

“Alright, alright. I didn’t ask for a lecture,” Varrick waved his hand at Zhu Li.

“Bait? She wants to use me as bait?” Asami said bewildered.

“It’s not just your pretty little head, missy! I overheard the All Scary Uniter saying she wanted the heads of… what’s that fellas name? The one that acts like he has a roasting stick up his butt? Zhu Li!”

“Mako, sir.”

“Ah! And Bolin! She wants to provoke Korra and then she’ll…” Varrick slit his neck with an imaginary dagger. “It’s diabolical! Then, when the new avatar is born, he-she-it will be born in the Earth Kingdom! And she’s going to raise he-she-it herself! The new Earth Kingdom army will stop at nothing to get the Avatar. They’ll blow up the entire city if they have to! I gotta hand it to them, they gave me a good idea for a future mover.”

“She’ll never be able to kill Korra,” Asami said dismissively. “And how do you know they’ll blow up the entire city?”

“Of course she can't singlehandedly kill Korra! But what about Kuvira and technology! Especially my technology!” Varrick said proudly. “And maybe a little of yours,” Varrick muttered. He threw her a mover reel. “Don’t underestimate the power of that!” He said with a finger held up to the air like he was teaching the greatest principle of life.

“Wait, why would you agree to that?! And I never designed my machines to have that kind of capability,” Asami said firmly.

“You know, you sound like a voice that I keep hearin’ in my head,” Varrick said thoughtfully. “It’s like, do good, Varrick! Do good, Varrick! And it pops up every so often and won’t go away! But, kid, don’t underestimate Kuvira!” Varrick started to soften his tone, “I know Korra’s your friend and you’re going to want to warn her.” His voice rose to a loud crescendo as he said, “But you’re putting everyone else’s butt on the line if Kuvira finds out that you know what she knows and that you’re going rogue!”

Asami was massaging her temples from Varrick’s hyperactive speech. “I know, Varrick, I figured out that part already.”

“But I know you won’t,” Varrick started winking incessantly, “But if you do, you didn’t hear it from me! A little birdie told me! Or Zhu Li told you, either one works for me!”

“Thanks, Varrick.” Asami said, unsure whether to thank him for that. Although he was just really excited, she just wanted him to stop shouting at her and to calm his hand motions down.

“It was mostly my idea to warn you,” Varrick said pompously. Asami glanced at Zhu Li. Zhu Li glared at Varrick. Asami smiled at Zhu Li to show her thanks, and Zhu Li slightly bowed her head in response.

“There’s one more thing that I don’t understand,” Asami said. Suddenly, Kuvira’s guards walked through the door to do their daily rounds of checking the premises.

“Asami, that mover is my best yet!” Varrick said, pointing to the mover in her lap. “You’ll be inspired by the way my little ostrich horse moves so gracefully across the land…” He winked as he galloped around the room.

As the guards rolled their eyes at Varrick’s antics, Asami caught on. “But it’s such a short mover! Do you have any longer ones?’

“Well, my creative juices have been redirected to the All Sca--, I mean, Great Uniter!”

The guards exited the room. Asami was wondering why Varrick even agreed to work for Kuvira. Then, she noticed that Varrick’s collar exposed something. He was leaning his head back at an angle that exposed his neck. His neck was discolored, like he had been strangled. Asami connected the dots. She was still of value to Kuvira, but Varrick had no leverage in the new Earth Kingdom’s eyes. He had to work or be killed. The CEO would rather not bring up his mortality at the moment.

“What is it?” Varrick said impatiently.

“Umm…” Asami stalled. “Why did you eat two hot peppers instead of three when you were developing section 2 of the spirit energy cannon?” 

~

Asami slipped the mover reel into the mover player Varrick had given to her randomly one day. It showed up on her doorstep a few days back with a note that said, “Knock yourself out!”

The screen bounced and flashed around. Then, a dark figure dressed in black hunched over a desk came into focus. “Zhu Li, I need more of the thing!” demanded the figure, who was Varrick, shouted. Zhu Li’s hand could be seen holding a portable beam of light closer to him. Some tinkering could be heard through the mover’s loopy sound feedback. Asami recognized the sounds as platinum clasps and locks opening and closing. Varrick then took a folder and held it up to the camera, flipping through each page at regular intervals.

Asami got up from her lounge chair to see the words more clearly. What Varrick said was true. These official documents detailed Kuvira’s agenda for taking over Republic City, from statistics on Lin Beifong’s task force to a map of proposed ambush sites.

"Sir, we have to go now!" Zhu Li alerted.

"One second," Varrick said as he struggled with opening another file. He held up a diagram of a large orb encased in a metal cage. "This is going to power Kuvira's mecha-thing! Now, Zhu Li, do the thing!"

Asami quickly scanned the screen for notes on power requirements, capabilities, range, and all specifications of Kuvira's spirit weapon.

The screen bounced and cut off. The white glow from the mover reel filled the room. The CEO grew pale, processing all the information that was presented before her.

"Oh no," Asami said as she buried her face in her hands.

**  
 


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

"Saying that we've been through a lot would be an understatement," the CEO addressed the workers of Future Industries in an open factory meeting. "Some of you joined this company recently, wide-eyed like I was as a young engineer, hoping to propel Republic City into the next age of technology and transportation. Some of you persisted through the storms and the sunny days, making history and showing tremendous dedication to the company..." Asami scratched out "the company my father founded" in her head. "I want to be completely transparent with all of you. Whether this is just a job or your life, as it is to me, we've all been pulled into this war. It is not your duty to sacrifice everything you have worked for. I am leading you all in this fight. Therefore I'm giving you all the option to leave or stay. If you leave, you'll be paid two years’ worth of your salary to help you in your new search. I want to say, though, this has been an amazing journey. We rose together and we fell together, and we will march on together, if you will stay."

The crowd gasped and whispers filled the factory room. "What do you mean by sacrifice?" A man shouted from the crowd.

“Future Industries cannot and did not remain neutral in this war. After all, neutrality is a false sense of coping with reality. I will put this bluntly: no one knows what side we will end up on. However, one thing is clear: I will do everything in my power to protect you all in this company, but war is… war.”

_There goes my best attempt at not inciting panic, sorry my fellow team members._

Workers started talking over each other and there were angry shouts and comments bouncing off the walls from the crowd.

“Dragged into war?!”

“My family!”

“20 years in this company!”

“I knew this was going to happen.”

“I hate war.”

Asami watched the crowd grow slightly restless, but she was also pretty anxious herself. She tried not to shuffle her feet. She tried so hard to keep her composure while more than a thousand of her beloved employees watched her, shouting at her. _Let them vent, they said._ Asami reminded herself.

Then, a magical thing started to happen. The atmosphere seemed to drastically shift: The voices started to dwindle down as if an unsettling reality finally came upon the future engineers and builders of tomorrow. Faced with the inevitable truth that the city, their home, was at war, the workers considered something seriously. They heard the truth from their leader. She had the courage to tell them they were in a dangerous position and she was willing to go down with them. This was a business, but there was a sense of family that Asami Sato instilled in the culture.

“We! Will! March!” one of the engineers broke the silence. Her bellowing voice and fist setting a new rhythm in the once riotous open space.

“Sato, we will march!” another engineer echoed with his fist pumped in the air.

Others threw down their hats and walked out, ready to evacuate the city if border control allowed.

“We build the future! We build the future!” people began shouting in unison, rising in a crescendo that echoed off the factory. It became a deafening roar in the factory. She could no longer hear her own thoughts as the chants echoed throughout her body.

My, my, her father would be proud.

~~

Asami slammed her foot on the brake, her satoracer coming to a screeching halt on the racetrack. She rested her head on the wheel. The impermanence and loss she was so familiar with in her life came back, gnawing at her sanity. Breathing in the night air, she tried to clear her head. She turned off the engine.

Kuvira would be difficult to fight given that the new Earth Kingdom had already infiltrated Republic City. They were basically lurking at every corner, and they were just waiting to strike. If they took over the city, Asami would lose something so dear to her since she had basically helped rebuild the city.

 _I’m basically helping Kuvira eliminate Korra,_ Asami realized. _I should have seen this coming. But did I really have a choice? Either way, Kuvira was going to try to take Korra out. At least I would have been on the inside and been able to warn the city, but now Kuvira is going to fully exploit spirit energy to decimate Republic City._ She raised her head to look up at the stars as if the heavens could offer her some kind of answer. The stars peppered the night sky, partially obscured by the lights from Republic City. _I should probably put in a memo to install some less light polluting streetlamps. I can’t even see the Giatzo constellation in the --_

“Out for a late night drive?” A familiar, comforting voice interrupted her rambling thoughts.

“Oh, hey, Korra,” Asami smiled. Seeing her just warmed her heart even on this cold night. “What brings you out here?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” Korra shrugged. “What’s wrong?” Korra could see the worry on Asami’s face.

“It’s…Raiko is pushing deadlines like crazy,” Asami lied. She felt like a part of her died when that lie left her lips.

“Do you want me to show him a piece of the Avatar?” Korra joked as she smacked her fist against her palm.

Asami laughed. “I’m sure we don’t want to start another war on top of this one.”

“True. I would’ve been pretty serious about doing that a few years ago, though.” Korra glanced at the passenger seat behind Asami. “Room for one more?”

“Always.”

Korra hopped into the satoracer. They both turned their faces toward the night sky.

“Hey, Asami?”

“Hmm?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were working with… Raiko?”

Asami felt a rush of relief when Korra said “Raiko” instead of “Kuvira.” _Whew, she can’t see my face right now._ “I thought you knew. Even Cabbage Corp is getting recruited by the city government to provide emergency food supplies. And if Raiko’s wondering, I’ll be done with the thing he needs by the end of next week.”

“Oh,” Korra said, a little relieved and embarrassed. “Well, I should read the papers more often.”

“News is just old news, anyway.”

Korra paused. “That was deep. You almost sound like Tenzin.”

“That was only knee-deep… Tenzin’s on a whole other level.”

“Yeah. You’re on your way to being an airbending acolyte.”

 _If only I could bend Kuvira and her entire army far away into this vast sky…_ The number of times Asami had wished she had bending as a child was too many to count, but she is glad it no longer bothers her anymore. “Bending. That would be nice.”

“Spirits, if you could bend…”

“If I could bend…”

“Yeah…” Korra was mind blown. “I’m not sure who would even win.”

“Win? What do you mean who? In what?”

“In a pro-bending match.”

“Oh.” _Hiding things from Korra is more difficult than anything._ “Against you… I guess I wouldn’t know either.”

“Maybe in an alternate world!”

“Haha, yes. And I would be an Equalist.”

“Hey, we all thought that that might have happened…you shocked everyone with that one. We seriously didn’t see that coming.”

“I didn’t either.”

“I mean, I’m glad it didn’t happen.”

Asami managed to crack a smile, but she forgot Korra could not see her face. The Avatar misunderstood the ensuing silence.

“Sorry! Did I bring up memories about your father? I didn’t mean to!” Korra placed an apologetic hand on Asami’s shoulder.

Asami glanced at Korra’s hand on her shoulder. “Haha, Korra, it’s okay. My father was driven by rage… he was unable to prevent my mother’s death at the hand of benders…I’m coming to terms with my dad’s situation.” She paused. “And, my diabolical Equalist origins,” she said jokingly.

“But never in this world, I would ever try to hurt you with bending,” Korra said warmly.

Asami was on the brink of breaking down. She knew that. She knew Korra would never hurt her, but here she was, working with the enemy. Why couldn’t she just tell Korra? It wasn’t because she doubted whether Korra could take down Kuvira and her army. Korra’s the Avatar. But Kuvira almost took her down. According to Opal and Jinora, Korra was near decapitation in front of Kuvira’s army until Jinora and Opal formed that air tornado. She had just recovered. After caring for her through Korra’s darkest days, Asami wanted to avoid putting Korra through more danger.

It wasn’t just Korra’s life on the line, it was also Mako’s and Bolin’s. _Is that why I’m so afraid to tell Korra? Was it really because of Mako and Bolin? Or is it because I’m so afraid of losing Korra that I’m compulsively trying to protect her, almost shelter her from what Kuvira’s trying to do? And, I’m trying to handle this on my own?_ She cared about Korra a lot more than she knew. Asami needed more time to sort out her thoughts.

Korra’s hand still lingered on her shoulder. Resisting the urge to place her own hand on Korra’s for fear of breaking down, Asami hastily reached for the ignition and started the engine again. “Ready for a few laps?” She put her goggles back on and smiled at Korra.

“Am I ever not?” Korra sat up straight and slipped on a pair of goggles from the pouch in front of her.

**

Korra was on time to the Sato Mansion for the martial arts lesson from Asami. A butler led her to the gym where she started stretching.

“Ready?” Asami asked from the entrance into the gym. She shut the door behind her.

Korra could not help but raise her eyebrows at Asami’s sleek figure. 

“Yeah, since 2pm!” Korra managed to say. “It’s now 2:04. You are late, Miss Sato,” Korra said playfully,

“Alright, I was caught in a… meeting. But you’re the student here. Teachers can be late. You don’t hear about detention slips for teachers, do you?” She stretched and craned her neck. 

“No, but as Tenzin puts it,” she stood up straight with a single finger in the air. “‘The wise lemur is only followed because it eats the fruit it gives to the younger lemur or some mumbo-jumbo like that, or was it that it gives the fruit it eats to the younger lemurs? I don’t know.”

“Some proverbs are a little outdated.” Asami said as she finished stretching.

“Yeah. Sometimes, I just hate having to hear some of it.”

“I kind of understand them though, like this one, ‘expect the unexpected.’”

“You know,” Korra shifted her stance. “I don’t think that’s really a proverb—“

Asami started running towards her with perfect form. Korra froze, she was confused. She looked behind her. _Is there a vault behind me or something?_

Asami leapt at Korra, wrapped her legs around her middle, threw her against the padded wall, and stuck the flip at the end. As Asami stood there and tightened her low ponytail, Korra lay there on a padded floor mat, face flat on the ground, arms splayed out.

Korra mumbled something into the mat.

“Can’t hear you, Korra,” Asami said as she wiped the floor dust off her hands.

“Could I get a warning?” Korra said as she stood up.

“I could, but that wouldn’t be as fun,” she flipped her ponytail back.

“So, are we practicing on… each other?” Korra looked around, a bit uneasy.

“There are dummies over there,” Asami pointed to the wall, trying to hide a smile. They were weighted down, tall sacks of varying weight. “Now that you know how it feels to be thrown with this move, it’ll help you to understand how to be the one that does the throwing.”

Asami walked over to the wall with the sacks. She side-kicked one with much force so that it flew over to six feet away from where Korra was standing. “Try that one,” Asami suggested.

“So, what’s the right stance?” Korra asked as she evaluated the sack in front of her.

Asami walked over. “Well, you hold it tightly with your thighs,” she said as she traced her own legs, “after you make a well positioned vault from the ground. You’ll need a lot of speed and momentum to get yourself going. Here, I’ll show you step-by-step.”

Asami lowered herself onto to the floor near the foot of the dummy. Her slender but solid limbs appeared as if she was dancing when she wrapped her legs sideways onto the dummy and supported herself with her hand planted on the ground. It was a combination between a side plank and reverse push up.

“Ignore my hand for now because you wouldn’t need it. I’m just trying to show you the bottom half.” Asami gracefully unhooked herself from the dummy.

Korra nodded.

She continued this process of contorting her body to extremes to show Korra the proper positions. She went through what seemed like three different forms. “I’m more flexible, so you can try an alternate position if you prefer. Most people develop their own style of this move anyway.” Korra only heard certain phrases before her mind took a completely different tangent, down a path completely unrelated to fighting...if you catch my drift. In other words, her mind took Asami’s words out of context.

“You have to hold on tight using the bulk of your upper thigh muscles…” _Her thighs that lead to_ there...

“Let the momentum take you over, but be sure to catch your landing…” _Yeah, the momentum…_

 _Yeah, I’m beginning to think she’s doing this on purpose,_ Korra thought to herself.

“Shift your weight from your hands. This move is all about muscle control…” _Control… yeah…_

“Be firm, but also nimble, you don’t want to break your own back…” _Don’t get me started on your back…_

“Then, use your core to completely throw them over the moon…” _Oh, I’ll take you there._

Asami looked at the clock on the wall. “I spent a long time demonstrating this. Why don’t you give it a try?”

This whole time, Korra could not concentrate.

“Korra?” Asami asked when Korra did not answer. “Why are you smiling like that?”

“OH! Sorry, yeah, yeah, I’ll give it a try,” Korra said as she rubbed her neck. “Whoo,” she breathed out to clear her mind. 

She ran up to the dummy, but halfway through she lost momentum and fell over like a potato sack. “That was embarrassing,” Korra said, getting up.

“Not bad for your first try. Just try again,” Asami said.

“Alright, so I’m supposed to lift after that right?”

“Yup, and follow through.” Asami tilted her head slightly.

Korra eyed her exposed neck. _Spirits, why do I want to feel her neck against my lips…_

Asami was a very patient teacher. Korra admired how thorough she was with her instructions and patient she was. She felt like she could communicate with Asami so openly.

After another couple of tries, Korra threw the dummy into the wall with so much force that a dust cloud erupted upon impact.

“Nice,” Asami said with a raised brow.

“Nailed it,” Korra said proudly.

“That thrust is angled downwards. Your opponent will tumble with that kind of trajectory. Was that intentional?”

“Yup. Korra style.”

Asami nodded. “Now try it on the other, heavier dummies.”

Korra flipped and tossed with her legs like she had been practicing this move for years.

Bam.  
Crack.  
Poof.

“Well, you learned that move quickly, Korra. I don’t expect any less from the Avatar,” Asami reached to encouragingly pat Korra’s exposed shoulder.

 _Her touch._ Korra reflexively placed her own hand over Asami’s. Korra remembered her incident at the secret bar in the desert, so she looked at Asami’s hand to confirm it was there. 

Asami held her breath. Her thoughts fired wordlessly in space.

Korra guided Asami’s hand down her arm. Asami felt the smooth grooves from the muscles along Korra’s arm. Korra let their hands hang in the space between them. Korra slowly lifted her eyes and met Asami’s anticipating gaze. Their eyes locked on each other.

“There’s… another move… I want to try…” Korra said, fixating on Asami’s lips and neck.

Their surroundings seemed to fade away and the world grew silent. Hearts beating fast, they both let go, stepped towards each other, and dove into each other’s kiss with passion and desire. The softness shared between their lips transported them into paradise.

Their breaths tightened as they indulged more and more and nourished the fluttering sensation inside of them. Korra ran her hands through Asami’s ponytail, delicately pulling the hair tie out and letting Asami’s hair flow wildly. She hungrily kissed her tender neck and the bare parts of her shoulders. Feeling the sudden liberating release of her hair, Asami pulled away, her chest rising and falling as if she had just sprinted a mile.

Korra stayed fixated on Asami’s lips before gazing intently into Asami’s eyes. Breathing hard and watching each other, Korra and Asami were unsure of this sudden wave of emotion for another woman, but relished the release of a growing tension between them.

Ignoring the voices in her head, Asami pulled Korra towards her by the hips. She kissed the Avatar, feeling an outpouring of desire rushing through her body as she felt the Avatar’s sculpted body pushing up against her. A radiant smile broke from her lips as she kissed Korra. The Avatar smiled in return. Asami’s hands found a loose flap of Korra’s top and she started to lift it. Asami cupped her hands around Korra’s hips, intrigued by her soft skin and toned sides. Asami slipped a bit of her tongue into Korra’s and Korra made a sensuous sound that drove the engineer crazy. It made Asami’s heart flutter faster than any revved up engine could.

Asami lifted Korra’s shirt higher. She ran her hands along Korra’s muscular back, which was flexing and releasing from wrestling Asami’s clothes off.

Suddenly, a bell rang twice from the hallway. Snapped out of a rendezvous, the two stopped and pulled away from each other as if a director had abruptly called “Cut!” on a movie set. Without taking one look at each other, they mechanically assembled their clothes back on.

“Miss Sato,” a voice yelled from behind the gym doors. “An urgent message awaits in your study.”

“Thanks, Nigel,” Asami shouted back, her voice a little shaky as she brushed herself off.

Korra eyed Asami Sato up and down, unsure of what just unfolded a few seconds earlier, but she knew she enjoyed every moment of it.

“How was that kind of ‘momentum’ for you?” Korra asked suggestively with a brow raised.

Asami blushed at her discovered flirtation attempt and she clasped her hand with Korra’s. “Are you busy tonight?” she asked with a mix of nervousness and failed effort to steady her breath.

Korra’s heart started beating fast again. “Not if it’s more of this,” she kissed Asami on the lips.

“Good,” Asami said as she finished indulging in the kiss. She rested her forehead on Korra’s. “Because you’re going to be the avatar of my body tonight.”

**

When Korra left Asami’s gym, Asami jogged to her study as she tried to clear her mind from the excitement earlier.

 _Wait, Nigel said ‘urgent.’_ Asami recalled. Her heart stopped. Her butler only used the word “urgent” when it truly was the nature of the message and the situation. The smile on her face immediately disappeared. 

As she rounded the corner, she was surprised to see Mako waiting at the door of her study.

Arms crossed, the detective noticed Asami seemed to be sweating. “Need to catch your breath for a sec?”

“Just finished a few rounds in the gym,” Asami said, slouching over like she just ran too many laps. “What’s going on?”

“Lin wants you to go to the town hall for an emergency meeting with Raiko and the other leaders. It’s about Kuvira.”

~


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

Mako drove Asami in his police car. “Kuvira sent a message to President Raiko about how this is turning into an open arms race. She wants to start a war with Republic City unless we surrender soon,” Mako explained. “Lin wants to see how production is going with your factory and she’s hoping you can help mediate the shout-fest that is going on right now. They’re like children in there. We can get Korra right now to bring her to her to the meeting.”

“Korra’s not home,” Asami said, imagining Korra still on her way back to Air Temple Island. The sensation of the softness of her skin still fresh in her mind.

“Where is she?”

“You should check the Narook’s…but since we passed it you can drop me off first and then go get Korra. We don’t have a minute to lose.”

After entering the doors to the town hall, Asami saw how Raiko, Lin, Izumi, Su Yin and Tonraq were, indeed, shouting and pointing fingers at each other. Only the twins from the Northern Water Tribe and Prince Wu appeared to be calm, yet uninterested. They did not even notice when Asami entered the room.

“We need to defend the walls of Republic City or else Kuvira will outrun all territorial boundaries!” President Reiko shouted.

“If she was never interim president, this could have all been avoided,” Desna said with agitation.

“She united the empire, didn’t she? Who knew that her army would move this far! Also, this was a collective decision!” Tonraq said. 

“The fact is that Kuvira must be stopped!” Lin said as she slammed her fist down.

“The Fire Nation has spent too much of its history fighting unnecessary wars. I will not drag my nation into another one,” Firelord Izumi said resolutely.

“The Water Tribe nations will send some of our troops, but we will also mainly defend our borders,” Tonraq said.

“We all don’t stand a chance,” the non-bender raised her voice to make a statement. The council did a double take to realize that Asami Sato had arrived. “Unless we sabotage her spirit energy orb generator.”

“Her what?” Lin said, bewildered.

“It’ll cause an explosion so large… it’ll destroy Republic City and 30 miles off the bay, which means Air Temple Island as well.”

Tenzin’s heart sank as he thought about his family, his home.

“How do you know this?” Reiko asked.

“I’ve been… collecting insider information on Kuvira’s projects. The source is not important.”

President Raiko scoffed.

“What are you scoffing for?” The great Firelord shot a look of disgust at President Reiko. “I specialize in Fire Nation affairs, but even I know this woman has given so much to this city. Your lack of trust is astounding.” She turned towards Asami. “How do you destroy the generator?” Izumi asked.

“It’s not simple. They have been harvesting spirit vines and studying their cosmic spatial properties and properties of conductivity—“ Asami stopped herself from veering into technical jargon. “Basically, Kuvira designed it so that if a person tried to destroy it using bending or non-bending, the device would explode, turning everything in a 30 mile radius into ash and sending spirits into an eternal state of cosmic disarray. So, if Korra tried to spirit bend it--“

“If I spirit bended what?” Korra said as she burst through the doors. “Starting another meeting without me? Seriously?” She looked around the room. “You too, Asami? Dad?”

Guilt ran across all their faces, except Prince Wu.

“I know I’ve been gone for three years, but heck! Some respect would be nice!”

“Nothing much happened if you were wondering,” Prince Wu said flatly, as he hung his legs between the rungs of the chair.

“Wait, wait, all this just from spirit vines?” Tonraq said in disbelief as he eyed the harmless looking vine inching in from a nearby window.

“All what?” Korra asked.

“Kuvira wants to go ‘boom’ to Republic City with a generator that’s powered by spirit vines.” Prince Wu said, unamused. Then he perked up. “Seriously, that woman is hot stuff, but kind of a pyromaniac… Mm, I like them spicy,” he thought aloud as he daydreamed about being with Kuvira.

“And, the generator is sensitive to spirit energy, externally, right Asami?” Tenzin added, making a mental note to never invite Prince Wu to city council meetings.

Asami nodded.

“What is the purpose of the spirit orb generator?” Izumi asked.

“It powers her giant mecha-tank, which can also decimate cities of vast proportions,” Asami answered. “We don’t have that kind of technology to fight it. There’s not enough time.”

“Then, what are we supposed to do? Kuvira requested that if we surrender, we hand over ‘Team Avatar.’ But apparently, we can’t fight back.” President Reiko said.

Silence filled the room.

Korra tried to let the information sink in. “Hand over Team Avatar? What does she want to do with Team Avatar?”

Su Yin said her first words since entering this meeting. “To eliminate the strongest dissenters.”

Everyone looked to the corner where Su Yin had been standing in the shadows. Kuvira had been a protégé to her. Su felt like she had released a monster into the world. “Kuvira is a great strategist. I know exactly what she’s trying to do. Once she eliminates The Avatar, the next reincarnation will be under the new Earth Kingdom’s control, and who knows what will happen then.” She stepped out of the shadows. “If anything, I’ve learned my lesson about standing down in the face of political needs. We must not back down.”

“Then, what are we supposed to do?” President Raiko asked again.

“I know a way to dismantle the generator, and as a non-bender, I can do it…” Asami said.

“Well, you could have started with that,” Prince Wu said agitatedly, examining his nails.

“I don’t think you all understood the gravity of the matter. This is a situation that must be handled carefully and every nation leader has to be aware of the potential consequences of this arms race. Above all, we’re running out of time. Kuvira’s going to attack in a week.”

**

Asami headed back to her factory after the meeting to check on production. The smell of burnt rubber and hot metal permeated the air. The sparks reflected in Asami's goggles flew wildly as she watched her factory produce war machines.

"I've started the energy project testing phases. We're on phase 3, Asami," Tadashi, her trusted partner in production, said to the new CEO.

"What were the results from phase 2?" Asami asked.

"95% power efficiency. Better than I imagined a few years ago." Tadashi replied.

"Are the Pele devices planted?"

"Yes, they're in full capacity. We should test the remote again for a more accurate range."

"I'll take care of that part," Asami said firmly. "The central energy device to be planted in Republic City," she said as she pointed to a map marked with dots to indicate the locations of energy supply to Kuvira's Colossal mecha tank, "can be powered on and off with Pele's spirit fire. The remote to activate it isn't absolutely necessary. I’ll start the production process for a remote controlled activator for Kuvira, though."

“Miss Sato… forgive me… I don’t seem to follow. What do you mean you’ll take care of that part? The testing team just needs your permission to begin the testing process.”

“I’ll run the trial on my own. It’s simple.”

“So, will you need the testing facility? Do you need me to book it?”

“Don’t worry about it, Tadashi. Just focus on the rest of the project for now. Anyway, I appreciate what you’ve done here. You’re an amazing assistant and I’ll touch base with you later,” she said as she gave him a good-natured pat on the shoulder and a veiled smile.

Tadashi humbly bowed his head, but he could not help but wonder what the CEO meant. She walked in the opposite direction in a slow gait and he thought he saw a flash of sorrow in her eyes before she turned away.

*

A couple hours later, Asami had just finished delegating new tasks to a manager when Korra appeared, standing patiently at a door into the factory.

“Korra, what are you doing here?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you knew all this?” Korra pulled Asami aside. “Wait, this is what you were going to tell me on the train, but you didn’t.”

“Look, I was pretty distracted this afternoon…” Asami blushed. “And, I just couldn’t, I didn’t know how, it’s complicated...”

‘What do you mean?”

“I didn’t want to lie to you, Korra,” Asami started speaking rapidly. “That’s the last thing that I would want to do. I’m just—I can’t—everything has been so great and then I lose something and things get out of control…”

“Asami,” Korra reached for Asami’s hand and held it tenderly. “Breathe. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Asami took a deep breath as she gazed into those blue oceans that Korra calls eyes. “While you were gone, I had just gotten my company back up and running and we were producing so many amazing things. Then, Bataar Junior came into my office and threatened to take _everything_ if I didn’t work for Kuvira’s army.” She lowered her eyes.

“Did you tell anyone?” Korra asked, alarmed.

“They were going to take everything that ever mattered to me, Korra. Everything and everyone. Kuvira’s army had already infiltrated the city. But I wasn’t just going to sit around and let them win. I knew Kuvira’s attack was imminent, it was just a matter of when, so I worked with them while also gathering information.”

“You’re the source of all that information you just told the council?” Korra’s eyes widened. “But if Kuvira found out, you…” Korra’s grip grew tighter on Asami’s hand. “You’re putting your own life at stake. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me… or anyone about this.”

Asami could not help but furrow her eyebrows in frustration. “And, then what? You were the main target, Korra. Don’t you see what would have happened?” she asked, her voice rising. The pent-up hurt and frustration from Korra’s absence came creeping back, but Asami noticed that she was starting to lose it. She took a deep breath and channeled her emotions differently.

Meanwhile, Korra began to feel small in the face of Asami’s anger, so she let out a small breath of relief when Asami’s countenance changed drastically.

“I was afraid you’d sacrifice yourself again, so there. I said it.”

“Sacrifice myself again? After Zaheer?” Korra’s voice cracked as the depth of Asami’s anxiety hit her.

“Because there’s no way I was going to let that happen. I cannot stand by for history to repeat itself. It would… kill me.”

Asami looked at her with the saddest eyes Korra’s ever seen. Korra reached out to her and held her in a tight embrace. “I’m… sorry.” Korra did not know what else to say to make it up for her, words seemed weightless.

A wave of emotions welled up in the CEO who melted so easily in the Avatar’s presence. Tears lined her emerald eyes.

Korra just reached out and held her in the silence, which was broken by Asami’s soft crying. Korra delicately held Asami’s face in her hands and wiped her tears away. Asami rested her face against Korra’s chest and completely fell into Korra’s arms, trusting her. Before they knew it, Korra was holding Asami as they sat on the floor. Korra held her, like she was repaying her for all the times Asami had done when Korra was paralyzed. She held her, like she was apologizing for being away for three whole years. She held her, like she was never going to let go.

Then, Asami pulled away.

“I’m being selfish,” Asami shook her head. “You’re the Avatar. And I’m preventing you from saving the world because of my own fear of…losing you.”

“I don’t blame you, Asami. You’ve lost so much in your life.” She looked at Asami with sympathy. Korra desperately searched for words to explain her thoughts. “But… we can do this together. We can work, together. You don’t have to be alone in this. If I have learned anything from wandering those three years, it’s that in times like these we all don’t have to be alone, and we shouldn’t be.”

Asami saw the sincerity in Korra’s eyes and she leaned into Korra’s chest, feeling the solid and reassuring heartbeat against her own. 

Suddenly, an explosion rumbled off the coast of Republic City. Korra and Asami looked at each other in shock as they felt the ground slightly tremble. Asami tried to compose herself. “Korra, you should go.”

Korra was reluctant.

“Go, Korra. I’ll be fine,” Asami said as she tried to smile.

Korra hesitantly stood up and helped Asami stand on her feet. She kissed Asami on the forehead and then said, “I’ll see you tonight, alright?”

Asami tenderly kissed her on the cheek. Korra lingered as she broke off from holding Asami’s hand.

When their hands unclasped, Asami called out, “Wait, Korra.”

Korra immediately spun around.

“Be careful,” Asami said as she reached up to wipe off the lipstick smudge she left on Korra’s cheek. 

Korra reached for Asami’s hand. “I’ll keep it there for good luck,” Korra said, referring to the lipstick smudge on her face. Before Asami could say anything, the Avatar smirked and ran out the door.

Asami’s hand was left hanging in mid-air. She rested that hand on her heart instead.

~

Korra ran in the direction of the sound. Her navigation senses pointed in the direction of Air Temple Island. Meeting a hoard of traffic in the crowded streets, she propelled herself into the city skyline with an air tornado.

Smoke and fire rose off a tower on Air Temple Island. It wasn’t hard to see flames against the dark night. Korra hopped off rooftops and buildings as she ran towards the island, wondering if the war had already begun.

~

“Breaking news! Air Temple Island has suffered a major explosion,” a radio in Asami Sato’s office blared. “The cause is still unknown. Authorities are searching for evidence. Avatar Korra has arrived at the scene, helping and healing the injured. Councilman Tenzin appears to have been badly hurt. It looks like this is going to be a long night for the Avatar. Could this be associated with the new Earth Kingdom movement? Stay tuned as we gather updates...”

Asami sighed, disappointed that her extended reunion with Korra was interrupted and would be postponed…

“More work it is,” she said, refocusing her energy.

*

Kuvira sat at her desk, metal bent liquid Mercury as she contemplated Future Industries' progress.

"We need to keep our eye on Asami Sato," Kuvira said to Bataar Junior.

"Given her history, I wouldn't doubt her so much," Bataar Junior replied as he rearranged some markers on the Earth Kingdom map.

"She has a convincing story... But something's off," Kuvira said. "I can feel it."

"What’s off?" Bataar said as he walked towards the aspiring world leader.

"I’m not sure. I can tell that she's… more complex than we think," Kuvira said.

"I think there's a lot for her to lose. We have ample leverage to keep her under our control.”

“I still want every blueprint, model number, everything that comes out of that factory. We can’t take any chances.”

“Precautions are always necessary. My dear, I’ve got your back. I’ve already given the guards those instructions.”

Kuvira smiled smolderingly. “One step ahead…”

They kissed each other deeply, reveling in their combined power.

~

“You wanted to see me,” Asami said a bit resentfully. She was a CEO, not a footman to some dictator. To be in this position was very uncomfortable for anyone who had walked in her shoes. Kuvira’s assistant had showed up at her office, unannounced with a threatening note from Kuvira. Asami had to rearrange her entire schedule to meet with Kuvira at some abandoned building in Republic City. Not to mention, Asami had to put her secret plans on hold and try not to blow her cover.

“Yes. Thank you for taking the time to come here,” Kuvira said formally.

Asami was unmoved by the polite gesture.

“I want to talk to you about something. There’s a blue print missing from the spirit cannon model number 667.”

“Are you sure? My team double checks everything.”

“I requested that every blue print be submitted to the Earth Kingdom army for review and training purposes.”

“You made that crystal clear, Kuvira, when we went over regulations. This is impossible… I’ll make sure that never happens again.”

“Good. I was worried,” Kuvira said as if she implied something deeper than the surface of her words. “How is Korra?”

“Oh, she’s fine. She’s having a lot of fun with Naga. She won’t stop talking about her. Why?”

“Just checking in on the Avatar. She could compromise this entire mission, you do know.”

“No, she could not,” Asami said sternly. “She does not know anything. Even if she were to get her hands on the device, she wouldn’t know how to work it.

“But you do,” Kuvira said, almost challenging her. “And I trust that you won’t compromise this mission.”

“Kuvira, I swore my loyalty to you. Republic City belongs to the new Earth Kingdom Empire. There’s no doubt about that,” Asami said as convincingly as she could.

Kuvira smirked. “Indeed.”

~  
 


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE 

“Spirits, it’s cold!” Bolin shivered outside the Sato estate main entrance. “Are you sure Asami said 6AM not 6PM?” He asked Mako.

“Yeah, she’s punctual when it comes to meeting with her for breakfast over seaweed noodle soup.” Mako said as he waited for Asami to answer the door. They were supposed to go to the local seaweed noodle shop to exchange information on Republic City’s evacuation strategy. Asami had to pass on the blueprints of the underground sewage system, away from ambush sites. Mako and Bolin’s private guards also shuffled on their feet. They were hired for Team Avatar’s protection.

Bolin knocked again. Mako grew suspicious that no one answered on the first knock. Then, Asami’s butler appeared.

“Good day, Mako,” Nigel said rather rigidly.

“Is… Asami there?”

“No. Goodbye.” The door started to close.

“Wait,” Mako stopped the door with his hand. “Where is she?” 

“Yeah, we’re supposed to get breakfast with Korra at the seaweed noodle shop today,” Bolin said, trying to warm up his hands with his breath.

“She’s… um…” Nigel, stammered as one of Kuvira’s guards tightened the butler’s metal handcuffs behind his back. “She’s at the office. Go meet her there, run along,” he said as he slammed the door.

Mako and Bolin exchanged suspicious glances. Mako slowly stepped back and furtively scanned the windows. Then, a curtain budged. Mako shot a furious flame and melted the window. Bolin earth bent a platform that propelled them towards the open window.

Inside, there were two of Kuvira’s soldiers. Mako, Bolin, and their guards earth bent rocks from the porch below and through the window to knock the soldiers out, their bodies fell through the porch in a loud crash.

“Asami isn’t going to be happy when she sees this,” Bolin said, assessing the quick, yet massive damage that they had already done to the Sato mansion porch and study room. Paintings hung askew on the walls and the porch was destroyed, exposing splintery wood panels and chipped paint.

“Yeah, well we have to find her first, Bolin!” Mako said as he darted out the room. Bolin ran out the room, but stopped himself before he went any further.

_She said she kept them in the study,_ Bolin remembering the night before. He scanned the room. “If I was Asami where would I keep them… somewhere totally not obvious, and clever...” He saw her concept table. He lifted the empty sketchpad, then a panel beneath, and then another panel. It revealed a large compartment that housed the blueprints. “Ah hah!” He stuffed them into his jacket and resumed searching for her.

“There are a bunch of rooms here,” Bolin said, out of breath. “There’s no way we can find her.”

“Wait, I don’t think she’ll be here because that’s too obvious…” Mako tried to think, then he saw five cups of tea on the kitchen table nearby, still steaming. “Five? We only took down two. Bolin, the rest have gone to get Korra!”

As they descended the many steps to leave, they spotted Nigel, bound in metal bands at the mouth and hands. Bolin pried the metal band off of on the butler’s face. 

"Nigel, are you okay?"

"I'm not sure, but you must find Miss Sato!" The loyal butler exclaimed. 

"Where is she?"

"Kuvira has her. She disappeared about two hours ago. The soldiers were talking about how today is Unification Day." 

**

“You just had to mention that we were going to the seaweed noodle shop!” Mako said agitatedly as they sped through the streets in his police car.

“I didn’t know there would be creepy soldiers working for Kuvira behind the door!”

“Rule number one of police business, never reveal more information than you need to. The shop’s probably blown to smithereens by now.”

Mako pressed the brakes hard as he swerved into an empty spot along a nearby sidewalk.

As they arrived, the seaweed noodle shop was still intact. The shop owner swept the sidewalk with a broom as he watched the eager brothers running towards the door. They walked in, making the bell that hung on the door ring violently. Korra was seated in the corner, head down on the table, sleeping peacefully. Her private guards were contentedly slurping noodle soup at the counter across from her.

“Korra!” Bolin called to her. He hopped over the table chairs to get to her. “Thank goodness you’re okay!” he exclaimed as he shook her and hugged her.

“Ergh,” Korra said wincing at the loud noise and light. “I only put my head down for a second, guys…” She rubbed her eyes. “Where’s Asami?”

“Kuvira has her! But you’re still here, so we need to get Team Avatar together and end this!”

Before Korra could answer, the lights went out. The shop’s metal gate closed shut, leaving everyone inside in darkness. A hissing noise came from the kitchen and a gaseous substance hastily crept into the dining area. Korra, Mako, and Bolin passed out before they could register what was happening.

**

A shadow loomed off the distance of Republic City. The ground shook like a violent earthquake. Four airships held a suspended generator frame as it hovered over the city, casting doomsday shadows over large sections of the town. 

Kuvira stood in her mecha tank, watching Republic City from afar. She motioned to her assistant to turn on the radio wave into Republic City's intercom system. 

Su, Lin, and Raiko were already meeting together at the town hall meeting to discuss evacuation routes. However, Bolin and Mako never made it to the meeting. They froze in shock as Kuvira's voice came onto the radio. 

"Dear citizens of Republic City, I am Kuvira. I have captured your Avatar. The war is over if you proclaim your loyalty to me and my army. My army represents the new era of the Earth Kingdom. I request that President Raiko surrender the city or face dire consequences. You have 60 seconds to decide."

Raiko, Lin, and Su froze in the conference room as they looked over the maps of Republic City. 

"She's early, this is not good," Raiko panicked. “We were supposed to get people out of here before Kuvira could capture non-earth benders.”

"They must have Bolin and Mako," Lin said, concerned. 

"How do we know that she has Korra?" Su asked, skeptical. 

At that moment, Korra's avatar body jolted her awake, sensing danger. She immediately stood up and started to bend. Winds surrounded her and swept the gas away. She burst through the ceiling, shooting up hundreds of feet into the air. 

Kuvira spotted the Avatar flying towards her, like a small fly. The giant mecha robot lead a steady procession of small mecha tanks and soldiers in its path towards Republic City. With a metal bending swoop of Kuvira's arms and levers, the giant mecha tank responded by raising its arm and shooting a colossal ray of spirit energy at the center of the hovering frame. A rotating gaseous and plasma orb formed. The sphere spun fiercely like violent storm clouds. The mecha tank glowed through its seams, feeding off the orb's energy. 

Asami, who was commanded to operate one of the control boards in Kuvira's main console, could not help but smile when she saw that Korra was okay. However, Kuvira watched Asami very closely this whole time and saw Asami's expression through a reflection in the control room. The military leader immediately bent metal bands around the wrists of the engineer and brought her wrists together, forcing the metal to crush together as handcuffs. 

“I knew you were a liar. Lock her up,” Kuvira motioned to her guards. “Don’t ever let her out.” The guards lead Asami down a narrow set of stairs into a level below the control room.

Kuvira turned back around and proceeded walking towards the city. Her air ship prepared to drop the orb. 

"Stop right there Avatar, unless you want to destroy everything in sight," Kuvira spoke through the speakers of her mecha tank. Korra stopped and hovered mid air. The orb crackled and whirled some distance away. 

"Kuvira!" Korra called out to her. "It doesn't have to be this way." 

"Avatar, I told you that you are not to stand in my way! You are breaking the terms of our agreement."

"I am here to help!"

"Then, surrender the land that rightfully belongs to the Earth Kingdom Empire. The clock is tick-"

“Kuvira!” One of guards in the control room shouted as he saw Asami charge at Kuvira, but the raven haired trained fighter was too quick.

Asami dealt a heavy blow to Kuvira's head, using the platinum handcuff still attached to her wrist. The CEO had knocked out the guards when they reached the lower level, out of Kuvira’s sight. Then she freed her hands using a plasma cutter she had disguised as a hair clip. Kuvira’s guards lunged at Asami as Kuvira lay unconscious on the floor. Asami knew she had to get out of there; there were too many soldiers in this one mecha tank.

She dodged the flying metal bands in cartwheels and fluid movements, fought her way back down the steps, hopped over the unconscious guards she had knocked out earlier, and found the exit routes out of the mecha tank with ease since she had been briefed on the anatomy of the mecha tank in a previous meeting with Kuvira.

However, as she reached the outside world, there were mecha tanks surrounding the base.

Korra saw a tiny figure with flowing black hair near the feet of the giant mecha tank. As soon as she recognized who it was, Korra swooped downwards. With a powerful wave of her arm, the Avatar sent a massive wave of air that toppled the smaller mecha tanks. Asami dodged behind the platinum foot for cover.

Meanwhile, Bumi, Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo stood on a nearby rooftop, waiting for an opportune moment to attack Kuvira’s mecha tank.

“Let’s go, kids!” Bumi motioned and they flew off towards the mecha tank, armed with explosives.

“This one’s for dad!” Jinora shouted as she threw a well-aimed timed explosive at the control room’s dashboard window. The rest of Tenzin’s children peppered the dashboard with more explosives.

“Everyone’s clear?” Bumi shouted as he did a mental headcount of all the kids flying behind him. He held a detonator in his hand. As soon as they were far enough from the mecha tank, he pressed the button.

Several booms and series of shattering noises followed. The control room was now windowless and exposed.

“Good work, air bender battalion!” Bumi applauded.

“Yes! I knew it was a good idea to bomb Air Temple Island and leave those explosives there!” Varrick cheered from a prison cell with a small window that Kuvira had thrown him in earlier. Zhu Li buckled under the weight of propping the man up to the window. 

*

“Asami!” Korra called out as she landed. “Are you okay?”

Asami ran to her and gave her a quick hug, quickly assessing that Korra also looked fine. “I’m OK, but Kuvira’s going to wake up any minute. We need to get to my factory right now. I’ll explain later.”

“Alright, hop on,” Korra motioned as she held out her arms, hands faced up in the air.

“I guess you’re driving this time,” Asami said, wrapping her arms around Korra’s neck.

Korra’s megawatt smile lit up her face as she remembered one of their first times spending time together. Then, they skyrocketed into the air on a tornado. “I may be a terrible driver, but I can airbend,” she reassured Asami. 

Asami’s eyes grew wide as she watched the increasing distance between her and the ground. She was accustomed to having something metal to grip onto, but all she could feel was Korra’s softness and solid body against hers.

“This is kind of nice,” Asami said, the wind blowing through her hair as she rested her face on Korra’s shoulder.

“Yeah, it is,” Korra said with a heartwarming smile before zooming through the city on varying air tornados and spinning balls of air.

*

Mako coughed and wheezed as he slowly woke up. The light from the hole in the roof burned into his eyelids.

“Bolin, wake up,” he said as he nudged his little brother’s shoulder,

Bolin tried sitting up, the gas causing his eyes to water in an allergic reaction. “Ugh, what happened?”

“Korra must have gone after Kuvira. We have to find a way to get out of here and help.”

They scanned the room for exits. “It looks like we’re boxed in with metal, except for that hole in the roof,” Mako concluded.

“I have an idea up my sleeve!” Bolin exclaimed, pulling out a stick of dynamite out of his sleeve.

“Bolin! What are you doing carrying that around?!” Mako asked, bewildered.

“I consider it a souvenir from the Nuktuk movie set. It’s for memory’s sake,” Bolin said, as he rubbed the stick of dynamite against his cheek.

“Sometimes, Bolin…” Mako massaged his forehead.

“Alright, let’s light this baby up and get us out of here!”

After Mako lit up the dynamite, he threw it against the metal shop gate. It blew a hole big enough for the two to squeeze through. As they reached the street, they saw civilians running in every direction. The city was in chaos.

*

“Let’s do this,” Lin nodded to her sister as they stood on top of a building. Kuvira’s mecha tank towered above them.

Together, the two earth bending sisters moved in unison to cut down an evacuated building and topple it on top of Kuvira’s mecha tank.

The soldiers in the mecha tank were thrown across the control room. Kuvira jolted awake against the impact of her body on the control panel. She painfully tried to lift herself up in her tilted surroundings. She saw blood dripping from above. Kuvira lifted her hand and found that her head was slowly trickling out blood. The sight made her angry and vengeful.

“I need aid!” She growled to her henchmen. They scrambled to find their footing.

Su jumped down to the ground. “Stop this, Kuvira!” she shouted as she approached the mecha tank that was slumped against a building.

Kuvira heard Su’s distant voice. Su’s reprimanding voice brought back old wounds in Kuvira’s heart. “End this madness!” the matriarch demanded. 

“I started what you never had the guts to do!” she yelled back with force and anger.

Su stopped in her tracks when she heard Kuvira’s abrasive words and the giant mecha tank sprang back to life. The giant mecha tank rose in its colossal greatness. Kuvira steadied herself and brought her foot up to crush Su under the platinum foot of the mecha tank.

The matriarch metal bent scrap metal around her and earth to form a protective, yet brittle shield. Lin, who had been watching from above, acted quickly. She earth bent a projectile boulder as fast as she could towards the exposed head of the mecha tank. It hit the corner of the control room sill and knocked the mecha tank off-balance. Kuvira nearly fell backwards, but she regained her balance. Su jumped out of the way and into safety.

“Argh,” Kuvira grunted. She quickly metal bent loose panels to cover up the control room windows, leaving small slits open. 

“We won’t be able to see where we’re going,” the soldier in the control room commented.

“We won’t need to,” Kuvira said as she raised the arm of the mecha tank and shot a beam to cut the suspended wires holding the generator orb far away. “Now, everyone is out of the way.”

With one swoop, the colossal frame crashed into the ground, crushing the cars and streets beneath it. The ground shook violently. The orb grew dangerously bigger and glowed brighter. Lin and Su Yin watched in awe and horror. “We need to get out of here,” Lin said.

“All benders must clear the area. Republic City is New Earth Kingdom territory,” Kuvira announced through her mecha tank on the radio waves.

*

Bolin and Mako, caught in the cross fire between smaller mecha tanks instructed to capture them, stopped fighting as they felt the ground shook them off their feet. Little did they know, Kuvira had literally dropped the bomb.

“Flamin’ flameos, what was that?!” Mako exclaimed.

“It wasn’t me!” Bolin said apprehensively.

A mecha tank launched a spinning net at the two brothers. Before they could react, the net casted over them, shocking them into unconsciousness.

~

“Now that our plan has changed we need to act fast," Asami said, fumbling through multiple drawers in the factory and tool room.

Korra, still in awe at how many gadgets there were hanging on the walls, was a little awestruck by her engineering girlfriend.

“Just as we went over, Pele is going to drop me at the orb so that I can disable it," the raven-haired woman continued, not noticing Korra's awestruck silence. "The orb was also designed so that your spirit level would set it off."

Asami turned toward her. "Kuvira’s going to be stationed near the orb with her tank to make sure that you don’t go near it...or any bender touches it - it does explode once a bender bends at it. You can’t be anywhere near the orb while I’m disabling each of the four legs of the generator’s frames."

"But how am I supposed to protect you if I can’t be near you?" Korra asked.

"You’re going to distract Kuvira and get her mecha tank away from the orb," Asami gently squeezed Korra's arm, then turned away remembering she needed one more thing. "Her machine only grows stronger when it’s closer to the orb." Asami looked herself over and went through a mental check list. "Okay, I have everything. Let’s go get Mako and Bolin."

*

“Load them into the airship,” Bataar Junior commanded as he saw Mako and Bolin caught in the net. The co-leader stood at the end of a ramp leading to an airship. “Two down, two more to go.”   
He followed closely behind as his henchmen carried them up the ramp. He pressed the button to close the ramp. Once he turned his head, the ramp crinkled and shrunk in metallic cries before him.

"Let them go!" A voice bellowed from below. The ramp flew off and revealed Korra standing with her fists clenched.

"Start the airship!" Bataar Junior called over his shoulder. Kuvira's soldiers stepped forward to protect him, metal bending flying metal projectiles at the Avatar. Korra deflected all of them with a wave of her arm.

As the ship started to take off, Korra round kicked a stream of air, knocking all the soldiers down like bowling pins. She ran up the ramp, tossed and fought the soldiers down against the wall, determined to free her friends. Kneeling down to the net holding Mako and Bolin, she used a blazing fire dagger to cut through the rope cleanly and instantly.

"And you guys just couldn't wake up," Korra sighed as the two lay unconscious before her. She flipped one of them over each of her shoulders. _Hmm, lighter than carrying Naga,_ Korra noticed.

Bataar Junior held onto his shoulder, badly bruised from that air-bending move Korra made earlier. He saw Korra about to hop off the ship, so he grabbed his spirit ray gun stored under a flap on his belt and fired it at the Avatar, barely missing her heart.

Korra yelled out in pain and fell to her knees, dropping Mako and Bolin.

"Don't move a muscle," Bataar Junior held the spirit Ray gun fixed on Korra. "All three of you are here and it's going to stay that way."

Korra slowly breathed in and out as the familiar feeling of her skin being shredded to pieces radiated from her side. She was trying to recover by refocusing her qi.

"What a good idea, Bataar," Korra said and she swiftly shifted, grabbed his arm and gun, and knocked Bataar Junior off his feet. She pointed the ray gun at him.

"Haha, your finger's not even on the trigger." Bataar Junior laughed maniacally, seeing that he was outnumbered.

Korra glanced at the gun then at him. She tossed the gun aside and metal bent clasped his mouth and hands together. “I don’t need a trigger.”

Mako began to blink his eyes awake, the impact of falling against the metal floor shaking his senses. "Little bro!" He exclaimed as he saw Bolin passed out before him. "Wake up!" He shook the drooling earth bender by the shoulders.

"Wha?" Bolin slowly came back to consciousness. "Oh, hey guys what's – NOO! We are on Kuvira's airship!" He alertedly jumped up.

"Look, we have to get Kuvira away from the generator," Korra said. "We can't let her take Republic City."

"Where's Asami?" Bolin asked.

"She's the only one that knows how to disable the generator so we have to cover her."

"Okay, but how are we going to lure her entire, ginormous, deathly, super tech-y army away from the generator?" Bolin asked.

There was a moment of silence as they all considered the possibilities.

Then, Korra looked at Bataar Junior. "With him."

*

Su and Lin took shelter in an alley as the colossal mecha tank marched towards the generator. "We can't let that thing get closer to the generator. There'll be no way to take it down if it does," Lin said.

"I'm with you on that. This battle’s not over. Let's go, Lin. " Su agreed. Then the Republic City evacuation siren started to whir. "I guess Raiko is still trying to save the citizens," Su said. She jumped out from the alley and earth bent jagged hills in the mecha tank's path.

*

The citizens understood the siren as the city went into lockdown. Prince Wu and Pema were in the subway, calming the citizens down as they figured a way to get out of the subway...

*

"Bataar, you're going to tell Kuvira and her army to back down, or else," She removed the metal band around his mouth.

"Or else what, Avatar? The battle's already over and the Earth Kingdom is complete! You're all powerless to stop it. It's only a matter of time before Kuvira comes to give what your sorry excuse of a team deserves!"

"Look, pal," Mako pushed his forearm into Bataar Junior’s neck and held up a fire dagger to the co-leader’s face. "You're as twisted as they can get. You're going to do as Korra says or we’ll all give _you_ what you deserve!" He held the fire dagger close enough to Bataar Junior's face that Bataar Junior felt the small hairs on his skin burn.

Despite this, Bataar Junior burst out laughing. "She wouldn't hurt me!" He cackled.

Korra stepped in and grabbed him by his collar. She lifted him by the clothes on his back and rose her fist. He yelped as his feet cycled in the air trying to find the ground.

"I could rip you to pieces..." She said. She did not bring her fist to meet his face and she would not.

"But we're going to do this another way. Instead of beating you into your senses which doesn't work anyway," she said as she tossed him onto the ground. Crouching down to slightly level herself with Bataar Junior’s eyes, she said slowly, "There’s something else that will break you...I'm going to make sure you'll never see the people that matter to you. And you're in luck. I know exactly who to take away from you. You'll never hear her voice, feel her touch, or be anywhere close to her ever again. You’ll spend the rest of your days as a lonely, regretful, and bitter empty soul.”

Mako and Bolin exchanged nervous glances at hearing Korra’s threats, wondering where this came from. 

“I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that you never... Ever... See Kuvira again." Korra added sternly.

She saw the fear in his eyes. She was almost touched by his affection for the dictator. The color seemed to slowly drain from Bataar Junior’s face.

"Now, you're going to talk to Kuvira." Korra dragged him up the stairs of the airship and turned on the radio.

*

“Ready, Pele?” Asami cooed to her eagle-hawk as they hid behind a chimney on a rooftop building overlooking the generator orb. She scratched behind its ear, making it adorably purr against her hand. Its blue eyes smiled at her.

Smaller mecha tanks guarded the orb on all sides. Kuvira’s giant mecha tank was still some distance away, swatting at flying rocks and metal scraps at its head. Asami tilted her head, perplexed. She could not see who was inflicting the damage from where she was sitting. Then the mecha tank rose its arms to partially shield its head and stopped forging ahead. Asami hopped on Pele and took this opportunity to swoop down to the orb. Her eagle-hawk opened its beak and shot a stream of blue fire, circling the mecha tanks. The mecha tank’s circuitry exploded, sending flying sparks abound and smoke. The soldiers hurriedly hopped out before the mecha tanks exploded again.

In a second swoop, Asami directed Pele to fire at the legs of the frame. Pele’s blue fire, aimed expertly, exploded open the ‘fire-resistant’ control panels. Asami hopped off and proceeded to tinker at one of the four panels.

~

“Bataar?” Kuvira said as she heard his voice through the radio waves.

“Kuvira, the Avatar is holding me captive.” Bataar Junior spoke into the microphone on the now airborne airship.

“Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine… for now.” Bataar Junior said with contempt since Mako and Bolin held him down with threatening expressions.

“Is the Avatar with you?”

“She is and she’s going to break us apart and make sure that we won’t ever see each other again… I can’t bear the thought of that, Kuvira. We’ve been through too much together. I love you, Kuvira. Let’s end this right now, let’s go get married and be together. This isn’t worth it, Kuvira. Let them have Republic City, at least we’ll have each other.”

Kuvira spotted the airship through one of the slits in the control room. 

She hesitated.

“I love you, Bataar,” she said. Then, she lifted her arm to shoot a beam at the airship. Su hurled an angled projectile at the head just in time to mess up Kuvira’s aim. The beam narrowly missed the center of the airship, just slicing off the tail end.

Kuvira stumbled in the control room. “No more distractions!” Kuvira said, recovering from what just happened.

“Great Uniter, we’re getting a message from the generator unit,” one of her control room commanders said as he checked the radio waves.

“What is it?” Kuvira asked, slightly losing her patience.

“MIss Sato is attempting to disable the generator. All mecha tanks are down in that unit,” he said, slightly intimidated hearing the Great Uniter a bit disoriented for the first time. 

“Exactly where we want her,” Kuvira smirked.

~  
 


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

The airship started to nosedive towards Republic City’s temporary prison. “Hold on!” Korra called out as she went into the Avatar state. Air swirled madly around her, forming a protective sphere. She expanded the sphere to include Bolin, Mako, and Bataar Junior. The airship crashed into the prison with shrills of metal and concrete cracking in succession.

Korra released the sphere and returned back from her Avatar state. Bolin breathed and gasped like a fish that been out of water. “Thank the spirits, I could not breathe in there!" Bolin breathed in and out again. “Whew, sorry, earth bender, air borne, doesn’t go together!” He bent over, hands on his knees.

“Anyway, let’s lock this crook up,” Mako referring to Bataar Junior. The detective saw the convenient prison cells and keys hanging on an opposite wall.

Bataar Junior was speechless. He fell to the floor, trying to process what happened. With a bewildered expression and an agape mouth, he looked at them, the floor, and then the sky.

“Maybe we should just leave him?” Mako said, pitying him.

“It looks like he’s wallowing pretty deep already,” Bolin said.

~

Kuvira marched forward, against the attacks of Lin and Su.

“I need more power!” she directed.

“Optimal power level 67% achieved,” the commander read out to her.

The Great Uniter grew excited as the number climbed higher and higher as the mecha tank took each step closer to the orb. However the mecha tank clumsily forged forward due to its impaired visibility, buying everyone some time.

Lin and Su, tired out from hurling rocks and metal objects, were glistening with sweat and suffered from sore arms. They both rested in an alley, catching their breath. “There’s gotta be another way,” Lin said.

“Maybe we need to try something different,” Su said. “What if we should be focusing on the orb generator instead?”

“You heard Asami, we can’t touch it.”

“No, what if we bent a shield around it? That way we can prevent us from touching it while still battling that colossal platinum giant.”

“That’s too risky,” Lin said dismissively. “If we lay a single trace of qi on the orb, the whole city’s gone to smithereens.”

“We don’t have much of a choice, sis,” Su Yin said. “We definitely can’t take that thing down when it’s near the orb without our bending.”

“Fine… but let’s wait and see first before we form the shield.”

The two sisters ran ahead of the mecha tank, zipping through the streets. Once the orb came into view, they saw Asami standing at one of the legs.

"How are you doing on this?" Lin asked as she approached Asami. The orb appeared to be slightly shrinking in size.

"I'm almost finished. Just need one last panel," Asami said without stopping her dexterous hands from rewiring and typing on the panel.

Su Yin scanned their surroundings. "It's too empty here. Where are all her soldiers?" She said, slightly apprehensive and on guard.

~

Mako, Bolin, and Korra dashed out of the building and towards the orb generator.

As they rounded the corner, they were greeted by a procession of mecha tanks.

"How'd they find us so quickly?" Mako asked.

"We were a flaming ball of airship that fell out of the sky. I don't think it's hard!" Korra said before she earth bent a rolling seismic wave.

The mecha tanks stumbled. "We'll hold them off!” Bolin said. “Korra, you get a good view of what's going on with the generator!” The earth bender turned to Mako. “Ready, bro?"

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Mako answered.

Korra jumped, climbed, and air bent her way up to a roof of a building. Kuvira's mecha tank was gradually making its way to the generator, which was not too far from Korra.

"Where are you Asami..." Korra said as she tried to spot her.

Her heart started to race when she could not see her. Korra quickly hopped over several buildings to get a closer view.

"Come on..."

Then, she saw Asami, working on the frame. Su and Lin guarded her back.

A sigh of relief overcame the Avatar.

**

"Optimal power level is dropping, Great Uniter, 33%," the commander reported.

Kuvira slightly pursed her lips. She aimed her arm at a corner of a street building. Then she fired.

The blast cleared through the block in a terrifying swoop. Debris and smoke clouded the air. Asami, Su Yin, and Lin ducked as the hot air and flying debris from the explosion swept over them.

Korra immediately started running and hopping between roofs to get to Kuvira's mecha tank.

As the smoke cleared, Asami could see the blast cleared a path for Kuvira's spirit ray to hit her, Lin, and Su from afar.

"We need to move--!" Asami screamed, but Kuvira's mecha tank adjusted its spirit ray wielding arm. The new Earth Kingdom leader held Asami at spirit ray gun point.

"Step away from the generator, traitors," Kuvira said threateningly.

The three slowly stood up and side stepped. Kuvira kept her ray gun fixated on Asami.

"Avatar, wherever you are, I hope you're watching," Kuvira said coldly.

The spirit ray arm glowed and whizzed. Korra leapt off a roof edge and over a gap 20 stories high, and latched onto the giant mecha tank's shoulder.

She bust through the metal panel make shift windows. Kuvira felt a metal panel hit her side, but she metal bent the lever before she hit the ground.

"No!" Korra shouted.

~

Asami took a leap and slammed the last button required to deactivate the orb. 

She reflexively curled up, a burning sensation cut through her skin. Memories flashed through her mind at lightning speed.

Yasuko, Hiroshi, a carnation, fire…

“Asami Sato…” an unfamiliar voice spoke to her.

Then, a fluorescent light blinded her before everything went pitch black.

~

In the close confinement of the control room, Korra and Kuvira faced off in combat. The commanders in the room are knocked unconscious in the cross-fire.

Deflecting, striking, and bending like never before, Korra gains the upper hand. As Kuvira picks herself off the floor, Korra quickly glances outside. She sighs again as she sees that Asami, Lin, and Su are huddled behind the frame.

Korra then entered the Avatar State and focused her energy and qi. The spirit orb no longer powered the mecha tank, weakening it for disassembly. She closed her eyes, sensed the internal metalworking of the mecha tank, and with a concentration of her power, dismantled the legs and arms of the mecha tank. The metallic and platinum joints noisily pop, squeak, and break off, then fly off in every direction.

~

"Well, would you look at that, Twinkle Toes," Toph says as she watches from the swamp.

~

The crumbling tank unbalances and tosses both women out, sending them tumbling against the destroyed pavement.

Scraped and bruised, Korra lifted herself up. "Kuvira, it's--"

Kuvira earth bent a rock at Korra and then ran in the direction of where the ray gun fell among the vines.

(Pretend the rest of the episode happens. I really like that part.)

Korra emerges from the vines, supporting Kuvira.

"Her power is beyond what I can hope to achieve."

Su steps forward and says with a hint of pain in her voice, "Korra," and motions to the generator site.

Korra read from Su’s expression that something was wrong..."Asami!"

~  
 


	11. Chapter 11

**Coldest Summer**   
CHAPTER ONE

"No...But she was okay..." Korra said.

"I was able to pull everyone out of the way with my metal wires at the very minute," Lin said, "but the spirit ray reflected off some metal debris near us and must've struck her,” the chief pointed to a burned pile of metal. “I'm sorry, Korra."

Asami lay on the floor, her head resting on an earth bent rock. A healer hung her head nearby. Korra ran over and knelt down beside Asami.

Asami's hands were cold, but she was numb to her surroundings. Korra held her hand. "Asami?"

Asami's eyes opened, her green eyes appearing dim and strained. Her forehead sustained a long cut injury. "Korra...." She said softly and hoarsely. She held on for so long after that deafening blast, just to see Korra again. “Wha…A...zu...” Asami struggled to form words. Her spatial senses seemed to be shifting every millisecond. She winced and shifted her head to the side.

"Asami...please don’t..." Korra began to weep sorrowfully. She cushioned Asami's head on her arm, only to see a blood streaked rock where Asami’s head was resting. Korra felt blood from Asami’s head dripping off her arm. It tore Korra’s heart apart. “I need water! Now!” Korra yelled.

“We tried to heal her, Korra,” Su said gently. “The spirit blast injury on a non-bender body is too much--”

“We’ve got to try again! I need to try again! I need to!” Korra desperately looked around. She saw the Republic City River a mile away. Onlookers watched her waterbend a stream of water from a distance so far away that they were amazed.

“Korra, she’s going to start convulsing! We tried that earlier,” Su said as firmly yet gently as she could. Korra could now see the matriarch’s tear-streaked eyes.

The Avatar let the water splash onto the ground. “No, no… I was gone… again… No…this...isn’t supposed to end this way!” She started to sob while cradling Asami in her arms.

“Korra,” Asami said softly again. Her eyes were full of love and hope as she gazed into Korra’s. Tears formed at the corner of her deep green eyes. Asami squeezed Korra’s hand. Then, she was gone.

“No, no! Asami!” Korra immediately water bent the nearby puddle to heal Asami. She could feel her slipping. The water ebbed and flowed throughout her entire body. The cut on her forehead and other minor injuries glowed and healed, but Asami still remained limp in her arms. About to give up, Korra gently felt for a pulse on Asami’s neck.

To her surprise, her pulse was even. “She has a pulse!” Korra exclaimed.

Su and the healer immediately knelt by Asami’s side. “Then why isn’t she waking up?” Su asked the healer.

“I’ve seen this before…” Lin said regretfully, remembering crime scenes with unconscious yet alive victims. “She’s not out of the woods yet.”

The healer nodded to confirm Lin’s assessment.

~

"It's kinda funny, actually, Asami," Korra said as she held Asami's hand. Asami rested at Air Temple Island in her old room. From the window the sun cast over the woman's raven dark hair. Korra gently massaged Asami's palm.

"This is where you first stayed when I was still with Mako. Now you're here again... Always a room away from me. I remember you always knew when to knock on my door, asking if I needed help... I think you were the only one that knew how to carry me into my wheelchair without falling over...Well, it took a few tries," Korra chuckled sadly as she looked at Asami, who was terrifyingly still like a statue.

"Please, please...wake up. I miss you so much… The thought of you never waking up just... Don't leave...I shouldn't have ever left you to handle that thing on your own...UGH!" Korra punched the wall. Air seemed to escape her for she found herself gasping from rage and sorrow.

A memory surfaced in Korra's mind. _"Everyone assumes I'm daddy's little girl, but I can handle myself," Asami said._

"Yes, yes you can. That's why you're still holding on." Korra said.

"You were always here... For me," Korra swallowed back painful bursts of sadness. "I'm here for you, Asami. I'll always take care of you."

She gently kissed Asami's cheek and cleared a stray hair from Asami's face.

~

“Air Temple Island is a very spiritual place,” Tenzin says as he tries to console Korra outside Asami’s room. It should help Asami wake up from her coma and we all very much hope she does. She’s a true hero that should have more recognition than she was given.” 

“She’s so smart... and clever...and talented…and compassionate...This isn’t fair,” Korra started to raise her voice. “This isn’t fair at all! Why did I survive and she didn’t?”

“These are things in life that are hard to explain,” Tenzin said, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. “But you must focus your positive energy on bringing her back. We all are.”

Korra could not bring herself to look at Tenzin. “It’s been two whole days and I don’t know what to do. Katara won’t make it here until a week from now. Time is running out.”

“I understand your frustration, Korra. No one understands much about the effects of spirit vine energy as a weapon, but we have to be… mindful of how we are going about this. The last thing we need to do is to be brash. We don’t know how non-benders respond to spirit energy.”

Korra was silent for a moment. “I know someone who knows more about spirit vine energy,” a dark cloud casted over the Avatar’s expression.

“Korra,” Tenzin said a bit worriedly. “It’s counterproductive to let out your anger and frustration on a person--”

Korra stormed past Tenzin. “I just have some questions.”

~~

A high security, temporary platinum cell near the border of Republic City held a meditating metal bender. She sensed a distant platinum door opening and cracked open her eyes.

A series of doors slammed and echoed down the narrow hallway leading to her cell.

Steady footsteps and a familiar figure approached her. The Avatar stood in front of her with only the platinum barrier cell wall separating them.

“Hello, Avatar Korra,” Kuvira said a bit cautiously, noticing Korra appeared troubled.

The narrow walls of the cells created an extremely confined atmosphere. Every sound hung in the static air and bounced off the cold, desolate walls. Korra seemed to exude an intimidating presence. The sight of Kuvira, confidently sitting cross-legged on the prison cot, angered her. Here Kuvira was, seemingly in a peaceful place, while Korra’s world outside seemed to burn even after she had saved it.

“Asami’s in a coma because of you.”

“Korra, I am sorry--”

“Don’t--! I saved _your_ life, but you--!” She roared as she gripped the barrier, resisting an urge to rip the platinum barrier apart. The platinum cell seemed to tremble at the volume of her voice. Tears swelled in her eyes. Korra reminded herself to breathe.

The former Earth Kingdom leader was reminded of her vulnerability and she winced a bit, her ears ringing.

“I didn’t mean to do that…” Korra said, trying to compose herself. “Look, I’m here to ask you if there's a way to heal someone, a non-bender, against being blasted by your spirit ray gun."

“There are no words for me to express my regret for what I have done, Korra… I have felt the blast of the spirit ray gun before. When I was working with the spirit vine energy, many mysterious things happened. It was untameable at first. I suffered a minor injury during one of the testing phases to my shoulder," Kuvira said, showing an oddly shaped scar on her shoulder. The scar was similar to the shape of a V. "And I thought I was going to die. The sensation of my skin crawling, ripping, and tearing... It reached deep inside my veins and they seemed to explode out of control. My arm grew deathly pale. This energy could be used to protect or dismantle many nations...Asami's incredibly strong for surviving this long, Korra."

"How did you recover?"

"It took months to completely recover...I had hallucinations sometimes and Bataar thought I was losing it...I saw my memories and some memories I didn't even know that I had...But, Bataar, he stood by my side..." She said, her voice slightly breaking. "Anyway, I'm... sorry, Korra. My injury was minor and it healed on its own."

Korra listened intently. "No, there has to be something!" The Avatar paced back and forth in front of Kuvira's cell. "You said you experienced hallucinations?" Korra kept hearing Asami repeating her name in her head, _Korra...Ah...zoo..._

"Yes. Right when I was struck, there was intense pain but there was also an awakening of my senses. I saw people from my past, and some people I've never met before. It was very brief, though. Varrick may have mentioned it as well. I didn't think much of it at the time as I needed to move on with my projects."

"Then, what was she trying to say..." Korra said.

Korra stared straight at Kuvira, but Korra seemed to be in another place. "Who?" Kuvira asked, confused.

"Asami, she was saying something to me, but I don't know what... Or maybe who."

Kuvira appeared deep in thought. "Korra, you should try to figure out what she was trying to say. Spirit vines are powerful and can be capable of mysterious things."

"Yeah... Yeah...I have to think this over.”

Kuvira gave her a slight nod.

Korra turned to leave. The door slid open. Korra said before leaving, "Bataar is doing a little better..."

And Korra thought that in the corner of her eye she saw Kuvira slightly smile before the door closed.

~  
 


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWO 

Narook’s 

"How do you know that Asami wasn't just like, you know, wincing from the pain?" Bolin said as he slurped a noodle.

Korra aimlessly swirled her chopstick in her noodle soup bowl. "I just have this feeling it wasn't like that."

"Korra, we all want her back, but I think it's a little odd," Mako said as he set down his soup spoon. "I remember once I thought I saw a drowned crime victim in the coroner's room open their bloodshot eyes--"

Bolin spat out his noodle soup all over the table. "Mako! Way to kill a mourning guy's appetite!"

"And gal," Korra added.

"Sorry..." Mako said as he continued eating.

"No, but Asami made that strange noise..." Korra trailed off.

"Let’s try this out," Bolin took a deep breath and appeared to be in pain. "Ahh...ssss"

"Just stop, Bolin," Korra said, the sounds triggered the memory of holding Asami as she slipped away.

"Zzzoo..." Bolin continued, earnestly trying to understand the situation. "Hmm.. ‘Zoo’ doesn't seem like a sound one would make in pain."

"Hmm," Mako muttered placing his chopsticks down. “Zoo… Ah-zoo…”

"Azoo..." Korra said again. "Azoo... Azoo...who... What..." She held her face between her hands.

Mako and Bolin joined her as they chanted all together.

"Is there anything else I can get..." The waiter said as he approached the table.

"Ah-zoo..." Mako said looking at the ceiling.

"Ah-zoo-zoo." Korra said, rolling the syllables off her tongue.

"Azooooo-ah. Ay-zoooo-ah..." Bolin elongated the word.

"For you... Folks...?" The waiter was taken aback by the group lost in chants.

Then Korra stood up, a thought hit her like a train.

"Azula! Zuko's sister!" She pounded her fist in the table.

"Azula?" Mako said, confused.

"Yeah! I remember when I was a little Lord Zuko would tell me stories about his past and Azula called him Zuzu... she had to be saying Azula!"

"Wait, but why would Asami be saying Azula's name?" Mako asked.

"I don't know. It’s the only lead we have. I think I have to pay a visit to the Fire Nation." Korra said, charging out of the restaurant.

A waiter placed a check on the table.

“So, I guess she’ll just pay us back?” Mako said, glancing at the check.

“She’s got to go save our friend!” Bolin slapped down some bills on the check.

~~

Air Temple Island

"Master Katara! You're here early! Thank you! I was just about to leave," Korra said as she ran to hug the great water-bending master.

"I came here as soon as I heard," Katara said. “Now, where’s Asami? There’s not a moment to lose.”

“She’s right in here,” Korra directed Katara into Asami’s room.

Katara stepped into the room and frowned. “The spiritual aura in here is very… strange.”

“I know. I think it’s the spirit vine energy. Master Katara, you knew Lord Zuko very well. Did you know anything about his sister, Azula?”

“Why, yes. She tried to kill me more than once.”

“That’s… unfortunate?”

“She was… severely misguided,” Katara said as she knelt by Asami’s bedside and felt the engineer’s pulse. “Unfortunately, no one has seen her since Zuko met his mother many, many years ago.”

“What happened to her?”

“It’s quite a long story actually. She lived in a moderately sized village and had a former lover before she married Ozai--”

“No, I mean, Azula.”

“Oh, she ran off into Forgetful Valley where the Mother of Faces lives.”

Korra thought long and hard.

“What’s on your mind, dear?”

“I think before Asami… entered her coma, she was trying to tell me something. She may have said Azula’s name, but I can’t be so sure.”

Katara stopped bending the special spirit water through Asami’s body and held it flowing in a single spot. “Hmm…”

“I’m going to go to the Fire Nation and ask Lord Zuko if he knows anything about where Azula is.”

“Korra, it pains me to say this, but I don’t believe we have enough time,” the water-bending master glanced at Asami’s body.

Korra hung her head, burying her face in her hands. She fell into a nearby chair. _Not enough time,_ Those words slice through every fiber of her being.

“But,” Katara continued, “you said this spirit blast is derived from spirit vines?”

Korra nodded.

“That is very interesting. My, this world and the spirit world sure are changing in ways that I wouldn’t have imagined that I would have lived to see. Korra, did I ever tell you about that time that I was in the swamp with Aang?”

“Maybe.”

“As you know, the swamp is overgrown with spirit vines, the very things that powered Kuvira’s spirit ray gun. When I was in the swamp, I believed that I saw my mother, who had been long gone. Asami has not met Azula before, so I don’t see a reason why she would remember her name. The spirit vine energy must work in mysterious ways...Korra, I think Asami’s spirit or even Azula’s spirit may have been trying to tell you something.”

Korra raised her head, her mournful eyes suddenly glimmering with hope. “Do you mean there’s a way to fix this?”

“I think you know,” the elder woman placed an encouraging hand on Korra’s arm. Korra nodded her head in resolution.

~~

Dinner on Air Temple Island

“The reason I called you all here to have dinner is that we’re running out of time to save Asami. She’s slipping away and I’m going to try to find Azula in the Forgetful Valley,” Korra announced.

“You’re going to Forgetful Valley?!” Bolin screamed with his hands pulling on his hair.

“Did you think this through, Korra?” Mako asked.

“That’s dangerous, Korra,” Tenzin said, concerned as he set down his rice bowl on the dining table. “And what does Azula have to do with all of this?”

“Asami was trying to tell me something about Azula before she went into a coma. I’m leaving tomorrow afternoon.” Korra dared anyone to challenge her as she glared across the table.

A silence ensued.

“I think that’s very brave of you,” Opal said, breaking the silence.

“Let us come with you,” Mako offered.

“Yeah, it’ll be a Team Avatar rescue!” Bolin said excitedly.

“Thanks guys, but I can and want do this on my own,” Korra picked up her chopsticks to begin eating again.

“Are you sure? I mean, it’s a pretty-” Mako began.

“I need to do this for her!” Korra roared, slamming her hand on the table. Slightly embarrassed that her outburst was louder than expected, Korra cleared her throat. Everyone in the room mentally backed away. She softened her tone. “I don’t think Asami would want to disrupt your lives for her, and I need to do this. I can’t help but think it’s my fault.”

Katara appeared at the entrance into the dining room. “Korra, I need to talk to you.”

A bit relieved, Korra rose to meet Katara in the hallway. “I hope I didn’t disturb your dinner,” Katara said with a smile.

“Oh, no, Master Katara. You have perfect timing.”

“Good,” Katara untied a large, ornately decorated canister from her side. “I’ll use one drop per healing sphere every other day. It’ll sustain her for 5 days while you journey into Forgetful Valley.”

“I have 5 days to find Azula?!” Korra said in disbelief. “Well, does anyone have a map of where to find Azula?”

“Do not let your confidence waiver, Korra. Tracking down someone can be difficult, I know. It took Lord Zuko many more days and nights to find Aang, but you are looking for Azula for a different reason. Forgetful Valley is connected to the Spirit World. If you go through the portal, it’ll be much faster than when I journeyed there on foot with Aang, Sokka, and Azula. I can also tell you some more about Forgetful Valley since I’ve been there. I believe in you.” 

“But can you get more spirit water?”

“It would take too long, Korra. You have to trust yourself.” 

“I know...I’m just scared of losing her.”

~~

Near the End of the City Council Meeting,

“Now that we have the logistics and issues related to rebuilding the roads and properties around the new spirit portal out of the way,” Korra began in front of the council. “I’m taking a temporary leave of a week or so. I’ve already submitted my proposals and notes for the upcoming topics for next week. When we reconvene, I’ll be debriefed by my assistant in addition to my own research on the state of matters. You’ll hardly notice that I was gone.”

“Korra, I’m sorry to hear about your loss,” an executive city official said. “But we need your guidance in the coming week for the business council meeting and planning for the spirit day festival.”

“I’m just going to say this. I’ve been pulling a lot of weight in helping to run Republic City and beyond ever since the battle with Kuvira. And I have confidence in what we’ve accomplished so far together. So, can I count on all of you?

President Raiko said, “You have my-”

“Good.” Korra said definitively and excused herself from the table. “I’m sure you can handle this city for a while without me.”

And she left the room.

~

Korra rushed back to Air Temple Island after the meeting.

“Korra,” Tenzin said a bit surprised. “Aren’t you on your way to the Forgetful Valley?”

“Yeah, I’m taking Asami with me,” Korra said without stopping to talk to him.

“But she’s unconscious!”

“I’ll carry her through the valley. I can protect her and I realized that I can’t leave her alone again.”

“Korra, why would she need to be with you when you see Azula?”

“I don’t know.” Korra stopped and sighed. “I just have a feeling okay.”

“Korra,” Tenzin softened his tone. “My mother will take care of her just fine. She’s the best healer in the world. I know that when you care deeply about someone, you want to be there for them. She’ll be here when you get back.”

Korra considered this for a moment. “Maybe, you’re right.” She turned around to talk to him. “Tenzin, please protect her,” she said as she gave him a hug.

“Absolutely.”

~

The avatar stopped by Asami’s room one last time before her journey. Asami’s skin seemed to glow in the afternoon sunlight. Korra knelt by Asami’s bedside.

“I’m going to find her for you, Asami. Please hold on. I can’t lose you,” Korra held her hand. It felt slightly cold. She fire-bent warmth into the woman lying on the bed. Korra took out a blanket from one of the cabinets and tucked it over Asami’s body. Korra recognized that it was the same blanket she had placed on Asami when Asami fell asleep at her desk, accompanying Korra during her dark days.

She kissed Asami on the cheek and brushed Asami’s hair from her forehead. As Korra got up to leave, Katara appeared at the door.

“On your way, Korra?” Katara asked, holding a basin of warm water.

“Yeah… can you make sure she gets like two blankets during the day and three at night? She gets cold really easily. And I know that Asami really likes to comb her hair twice a day, so if you could help her with that, she’d like it. Also, she has this ridiculous skin regimen and so she moisturizes her face with this one that says ‘Refresh,’” Korra said as she pulled out seven different bottles of moisturizing lotion from a nearby drawer, “and then this bottle is step 2, which kind of takes twenty seconds to dry and then you move on to step 3 and I think she says to use circular motions--”

“Korra, I know how that works and I’ll take care of her the best that I can, just like how Aang took care of me,” Katara said tenderly with a hand on Korra’s arm.

Korra blushed and embraced Katara with thankful tears in her eyes.

~~

 


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER THREE

The Avatar’s satomobile pulled up against a curb, some distance away from the spirit portal.

“Hey, watch the curb!” Mako shouted as the satomobile jolted down.

“Still getting this parking thing down,” Korra said as she turned off the engine.

“You’d think that if Asami let you borrow one of her satomobiles she’d give you a less… sporty one.”

“Why? Think I can’t handle the speed?”

“Something like that,” Bolin said, his hair and clothes clearly disheveled as he gripped onto the back seat. “Or, you could have just ridden Naga.”

“I wanted to drive, you know, in honor of Asami,” Korra said as she got out of the satomobile. “Make sure you drive it better then. Here’s the spare.” She tossed it to Mako.

“Hey, take care in there,” Mako said.

“Bring her home, Korra,” Bolin said.

Korra hugged them in response before she walked toward the portal.

*

Transported into the Spirit World, she peered up at the dark clouds that covered the purple sky. Avatar Korra took a deep breath, glanced at the map Katara had annotated, and swiftly walked in the direction of the Forgetful Valley.

After a while of traversing the changing landscape of the Spirit World, Korra found herself in the middle of another forest.

“Hey, Avatar Korra!” The plump yellow spirit appeared on a tree branch above.

“Oh, hey!”

“What brings you here?”

“I’m heading for the Forgetful Valley.”

The spirit appeared concerned. “Why, Korra? Are you alright?”

“Well, no. But I’m hoping to find someone in there.”

“Oh. Is this about Asami?”

Korra did a double take. “How do you know that? And who she is?”

“I’m a rather… intuitive spirit. And her spirit animal has been roaming around here ever since that spirit blast.”

“Oh yeah, Pele... I should really try to find it when I get back. I wonder what it’s up to.”

“Beats me… Anyway, you should consider a shortcut!”

“There’s a shortcut?”

The yellow spirit flew down and hovered by the map Korra was holding in front of her. “Oh, this looks like a map from many years ago. This map is outdated.”

“Great,” Korra muttered herself.

“The spirit world is always changing, Korra.”

“Story of my life,” Korra mumbled.

“What?”

“Nothing. Now, can you show me the shortcut?”

“Follow me!”

“Wait!” Korra snatched onto one of its limbs before it flew off. “I’ve followed you before! It wasn’t the most pleasant experience,” she squinted her eyes.

“I’ll slow down for you this time,” the surprisingly sassy yellow spirit bantered.

Korra shrugged and freed the yellow spirit, who still zoomed off into the distance.

She clawed through hanging vines, hopped over boulders, and over rushing streams of slapping fish. Then, they came upon two towering mountains, closely pushed up against each other except for a thin crack. The little yellow plump spirit easily slipped through.

Korra raised her hands to punch and earthbend the rocks away in a blast.

“Wait!” the plump spirit yelled. "You can’t earth bend this passageway. There are spirits living in the rocks.”

“Oh...right,” Korra said, looking up and down at anchored mountain eels that popped out from the rock.

“Ugh…” Korra awkwardly shoved her backpack through the crack first. Then she slowly sidestepped her leg in first. “Hey, I think I might fit!” she shimmied her hips through.

“Think skinny!” the plump spirit cheered on.

“And...my boobs are stuck.” Korra said flatly.

“Uh oh,” the plump spirit said.

Korra pushed against the rock, contorted herself to no avail. She wiped the sweat from her brow. Half of her was on the other side, half of her on the other. The plump yellow spirit flew up and pulled at the avatar’s hand.

“Errrr….” it grunted as it pulled with all its might. “Eeeeee!”

“Wait wait, my arm is going to fall off!” Korra said alarmingly.

The spirit let go, falling forward. Using its leaf antennas to wipe off dust from its round body, it conceded, “I guess this is it.”

“What? No! I did not come this far to be stuck between two mountains! And, in this position!” Korra placed each of her hands on each mountain.

The plump yellow spirit said, "But you're stuck," And blinked a few times.

“Ergh!” The avatar exerted strength through her palms. The sound of rock grinding and pebbles falling from above grew louder. The mountains seem to grunt at the application of more force. Korra gradually pushed the two mountains apart.

Knees bent and out of breath, Korra fell flat onto her right side, exhausted.

The yellow spirit looked straight down at her, casting a shadow over Korra's face. “You know, what you did and this whole journey is really romantic.”

“It’ll be romantic if I get out of here alive,” Korra said, huffing and puffing.

“Either way, it’d still be," the spirit shrugged.

Korra wrinkled her brow, not sure what the plump yellow spirit implied. Then, the spirit zipped away towards a tumultuous terrain of more hills, rivers, and strange trees. The avatar took a deep breath and got back up.

~~

“Still hanging in there, Avatar?” the spirit called out to her from a distance.

“You bet,” Korra said, energetically as she hoisted herself up mossy ledge.

“Wow, you’ve gotten a lot stronger,” the yellow spirit said, impressed. “Come on, there’s still some way to go.”

The sky grew darker and darker as time passed by.

After a while, Korra plopped down on the floor. “If only I knew what time it was.”

The plump spirit stopped flying and hovered over to Korra. “This is a much better route, trust me. You would have taken 21 days to get your destination.”

Korra’s eyes grew wide. “Asami would not have lasted that long. We’ve got to keep moving.” The avatar shot back up.

“You’ll get there in time for your lady, don’t worry.” The yellow spirit said comfortingly.

“How do you--my lady?”

“Asami’s eagle-hawk told us you two are in love. Aren’t you?”

Korra was clearly flustered that the entire spirit world seemed to know. “Yeah, I just never had the chance to tell her.”

“Tsk tsk.”

“Hey, if you were fighting a war with crazy vine spirit technology and dealing with an entire city---”

“You Avatars seem to think you have plenty of time…” The yellow spirit muttered as it flew away. “Aang ran away from the world for 100 years... thinking he was gone for a few years...Then, oops! Fire Nation killed everyone...”

“Hey, I can hear you,” Korra said as she ran up to catch up to the spirit. Eventually, her foot caught onto a protruding tree root and she tumbled head over heels.

“Here we are!” the yellow tree spirit announced cheerfully.

“Pffft! Pfffft!” Korra spat out a mouthful of spirit grass.

“I guess that’s why Toph calls you Twinkle Toes, huh?”

“Spirits seem to talk a lot,” Korra said as she brushed herself off.

“It’s just me.”

“Well, thank you for helping me get here. I don’t know how I can repay you.”

“Don’t worry about it, Korra. I just want Asami to be okay... She’s so nice,” the yellow spirit said a bit sadly.

“She is,” Korra said, looking at the ground.

“Now, you should probably rest for the night. The Forgetful Valley might be better when it’s morning. Good luck, Korra!” the plump yellow spirit waved and faded away.

The Avatar looked down the misty, ominous path leading into the Forgetful Valley. It was strangely quiet. Though most would cower and break a sweat, she felt no fear.

~

The Next Morning

“Well, this isn’t so bad,” Korra said to herself as she climbed over vines that blocked the path into the Forgetful Valley. A clear path appeared ahead as the mist drifted away. She proceeded down the path, observing the trees and bushes around her.

“Umph!” Korra grunted as she suddenly fell forward. She looked at the ground to see what tripped her. There was nothing there.

The Avatar continued walking with a cautious gait, watching her feet while also following the faces that appeared in her surroundings. After a while, the dirt on the ground seemed darker than usual. It was as if she had entered a different section of the forest. A flutterbat zoomed inches away from her face. She blinked, and she tripped again.

“Spirits!” she cursed as her face slammed into the ground. As she picked herself back up, her hands felt the dirt crunch beneath her palm. She picked up a handful of earth and observed that the dirt had been burned.

Before she could think anything of it, a vine smacked her calf. Korra hopped in pain. Another vine came swinging at her from above. She fire bent on reflex.

It shriveled back, only to morph into ten more vines. Korra stepped back as more vines swung at her from every direction. She started to run.

She ran down the path, fire-bending as flutterbats began to swarm around her. Screeching and flapping their wings at her, the flutterbats swarmed faster and louder. In the distance, she saw a blue wolf spirit peering from the trees, growling. She held up her arms to protect her face, which uncontrollably contorted.

She stepped back again, but another vine tripped her and she fell flat on her back onto the floor.

“Enough!” Korra shouted and spirit bended a stream of golden light from her palm towards the sky. The bats immediately dissipated. The vines cleared away and hung limply on the trees.

Covered in smudges of dirt and feeling the sting from scratches all over, she picked herself up. Korra tugged at one of the vines. _Since this forest obviously doesn’t like how I’m walking, I’ll swing my way, then._

As she hopped from tree to tree and scooted around bee-hornet nests, she spotted a clearing through the canopy. _Whew,, at least this lake that Katara told me about is still here,_. She swung faster and faster towards the clearing, and landed right at the edge of the clearing. Korra peered through the foliage to see a lake, clear as glass.

It was so quiet, Korra could hear herself breathing. She cautiously looked around and below at the lake. She almost winced at her reflection: a woman in tattered clothes and glaring red scratches all over her arms.

"Is anyone here?" The Avatar called out to the silence.

"Is anyone here? Anyone here!" Another voice called.

"Here!" She replied.

"Here! Here! Here!" It mimicked.

Korra furrowed her brow and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Meelo fart bends!"

"Meelo fart bends! Meelo fart bends! Bends! Bends..."

 _It must be some weird echo,_ Korra thought to herself as she began to circle around the lake. She could even hear the fine grains of sand crunching underneath her feet as she walked.

The silence started to feel all consuming and overwhelming. Her heart beat, the sand, her breathing seemed to be amplified in her ears.

"Azula?" Korra called, her voice wavering.

Silence. Not even an echo.

"Azula? Are you here?"

_Crunch. Thump. Thump. Ssss._

"Mother of Faces?!" The Avatar called out. "Someone?"

_thump...thump...thump...sss, sss, sss. Thump… thump… thump.. ssss. ssss.. sssss. thump… thump.. thump.. sss...thump...sss...thump...sss..._

Korra crouched down and tried to cover her ears. She grew anxious. _What if I never find her? There are a million places in this valley to search. What if I don't make it in time? Asami’s going to die! This is all over..._

The noises grew louder and louder inside her head, like drumbeats beating to escape the confines of her skull.

_Thump. THUMP. SSS. SSS. THUMP._

Then Korra dived into the lake, the water stinging her open wounds.

It was quiet once again underwater. A calming current flowed through her veins. The bottom of the lake was a dark blur.

Suddenly, a pair of menacing blue, human eyes illuminated at the bottom of the lake. Another pair followed. Then a fiery red pair of eyes blinked open at the center of the bottom. Korra immediately water bent herself a jet stream to launch out of the lake.

She landed on her feet at the edge, in a fighting stance. The ground began to tremble and the lake's water furiously splashed. A ring of blue fire set the lake ablaze. The air was suffocating and hot.

Ice daggers emerged from the lake and fell like rain around the Avatar. She dodged and somersaulted away.

Arising from the water in a fiery blue cyclone, Azula's fiery red eyes were ablaze.

“Who dares to disturb this sacred lake?!”

“I’m Avatar Korra, but I don’t mean to cause trouble here, Master Azula,” Korra tried to shout above the raging winds, water, and fire.

The fire-bending prodigy cracked a smile as her eyes seem to flicker like the flames around her. Then she said menacingly, "We meet again, Avatar."

~  
 


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOUR

“Please, Master Azula, I know that you don’t share the best history with Avatar Aang and Lord Zuko, but I need to ask you,” Korra gasped and coughed as the air seemed to escape from her lungs, “if you had anything to do with Asami Sato’s condition. Her life hangs in the balance.”

Suddenly, the ring of blue fire snuffed out. The air immediately cooled down. “I’ve been expecting you to show up,” Azula said impatiently as she descended to stand on the glassy lake’s surface.

“Then, why am I being attacked everywhere I go?” Korra asked.

“Customary Avatar welcome,” the fire bender said haughtily with a bow. “Also, I am the guardian of this valley. It is my duty to serve the Mother of Faces and protect this land from possible offenders, especially after your recent debacle in preventing the new Earth Kingdom army from mutilating the swamp’s spirit vines,” she said, slightly hissing.

“I’m sorry about that, Master Azula,” Korra said earnestly. “New spirit vines are growing all over Republic City now, rather freely actually…Anyway, Asami’s in a coma and I’m wondering if you can please help her.”

Azula stared into Korra’s soul. “Poor child,” Azula shook her head. “You’ve been worried all this time haven’t you?”

“Yes, I have. I don’t know what I’d do if Kuvira had killed her.”

“Well, you should know,” the fire bender said as she conjured up a misty cloud above her. “I can bring her back.”

“Really? How?” Korra asked, wide eyed. “And why?”

“As Zuzu probably told you,” Azula began as the glassy lake illuminated with her past memories. “I ran away into the Forgetful Valley, never to be seen again.”

~

Azula’s Past Journey into Forgetful Valley

“Out of my way, filthy vines!” She frantically lightning bent all around her, burning the vines into a crisp. Bee hornet nests fell from the tree tops and flutterbats were rudely awakened from their slumber. They angrily chased after their disruptor.

“Mother, where ever you’re hiding! Come out! I know you sent these creatures after me!”

Azula sped through the trees, panting as the world seemed to close in on her. The darkness enveloped her in a terrifying cloud.

“Zuko, you will pay for this!” She shot flames from her fingers in every corner, hoping to illuminate and burn through this darkness, but the dark fog loomed and loomed until she could no longer see her own arms. Azula desperately screamed for help, “Zuko! Mother!”

But the world turned black.

Something rough and coarse pressed into her cheek. Azula cracked open her tear-stained eyes to find herself at the edge of shore of a lake, clear as glass. Her mouth was dry and her throat burned. She brushed the sand off her face.

Groggily, she dipped her hand into the lake, cooling to the touch. Then, she saw her reflection. She hated herself. Her hair. Her eyes, Her resemblance. Rage burned within her again and she cried. Azula vented her shame, disappointment, and confusion. The world was no longer defined. Everything was out of control, and she realized it. She covered her face, ashamed and guilt-ridden. Everything was overwhelming. Everything worked against her. Everyone was against her.

Azula heard more voices, tortured and pleading voices. Her conscience was awakened in a new light. People that she had banished, excommunicated, and executed. All in the name of the Fire Nation. All at the hands of an irrefutable, crushing monarchy. And she had been a device, used for its agenda. She was once the perpetrator of that agenda. Now, she could channel her spirit for something else. But who would give her that chance?

She looked to see how deep the lake was. Azula wondered how long it would take. Would anyone hear her? Would she struggle?

But a fire burned within her. The favorite. The vengeful princess. The most skilled fire bender alive, at least of all the people she had known. Azula, reduced to be known as the one who had gone mad. This was her lowest point, but fire knows no altitude. Regardless, she told herself, the fire could not be snuffed out. She was Azula.

She looked towards the sky and heard her mother’s voice in her memories, “Azula, fInd your next great destiny.”

The emptiness around her seemed to eat away at her hopes for redemption. The tortured voices grew louder in her head, screaming her name in agony.

Fresh tears burned through her dry eyes. “I’ve failed you, I’m sorry…” she did not even know who she was speaking to. To her mother? To herself?

Then, a great wind swept throughout the lake. Azula cautiously raised her head from her buried hands. In a blink of an eye, the Mother of Faces emerged from the lake, towering above her.

“Human, why do you weep your sorrowful tears by this sacred lake?”

“Mother of Faces,” Azula whispered to herself in awe and hastily tried to clean off her face. She hesitated, remembering her privileged royal life, but also recalling the hurt and tragedy that belied the glittering palace walls. “I seek a new life.”

The spirit paused, studying the forlorn human before her. “I sense a great amount of sadness and anger in you, Azula. And, that you have committed unspeakable crimes against other fellow humans.”

“I want to start a new life, to right the wrongs of my past. I want to start over.”

The Mother of Faces studied her carefully. “I see that you are genuine in your intentions. But I also see that you are unsure,” the Mother of Faces said, coolly. “You are afraid of giving up the power and riches that comes with your heritage. You must make a decision.”

“I’d like to make a proposal,” Azula said, regaining her confidence. “I’d like to have a new life with no memories of my past, but keep my power and riches and I will protect your home, this valley.”

“Do not bargain with me, human!” The Mother of Faces’ fury was terrifying. Her face contorted to one of anger and rage. “How dare you grow greedy knowing your past transgressions? I am the keeper of Forgetful Valley! I have powers beyond what you can imagine!”

Azula dropped to her knees and bowed her head. “Mother of Faces, forgive me. I am a troubled human, unsure of her... place in the world anymore.” The words stung her as they left her. This feeling of vulnerability was unfamiliar to her.

The Mother of Faces switched to a face of concern. “I am a generous spirit, Azula, but I cannot give you what you seek in the world, I can only give you a new face.”

“Then, maybe it’s not a new face that I seek,” Azula said, thinking over her options. “Please, if you can sense my spirit and sadness, maybe you can tell me what will finally give me peace?”

The towering spirit considered something for a moment. Then she began, “Azula, your crimes cannot be erased from history. However, I will give you the chance to mend them as you have offered. Like life itself, your spirit is truly determined and full of energy, so I will trust you with this ability: You may give the gift of life to those who have been wronged by the Fire Nation, should they have a good heart. You can only give it once. However, you must protect Forgetful Valley for eternity in exchange.”

Azula glanced at the Fire Nation emblem on her sleeve. Memories flashed through her mind of the palace she once called home. The symbol used to ignite her sense of pride, but now it was a symbol of pain. After considering this, Azula said definitively, “Thank you, Mother of Faces.”

A branch-like finger tapped her forehead. She felt a cleansing current flow through her and revive her senses.

Azula felt renewed with a new purpose in life, and it finally felt right.

*

Forgetful Valley

“So, I’ve been doing that and protecting this valley,” Azula said, studying at her fingernails.

“Wow…But how did you know Asami was about to… die?”

“That one, she has a spiritual aura. The first one I’ve seen in decades in a non-bender. Did I mention she stole my eagle-hawk, Pele? But I’ve forgiven her for that.”

“Pele breathes blue fire! Spirits!” Korra said in sudden realization.

“Yes, who else has a blue fire breathing eagle-hawk? Anyway, I’ll give it to her since a firebender killed her precious mother. It’s a small token in exchange!” Azula started to chuckle.

Korra tilted her head. “That was supposed to be a joke?”

“Alright, if you had been doing my job for as long as I have, you would try to crack dead fire bender jokes. Lighten up, Korra, I can bring Asami back. A firebender used his power to murder her mother. Anyway, opening up the portals has enabled airbenders to pop up all over the world, but also has given non-benders the ability to acquire a spiritual aura, should they nurture it. And, since she has a strong bond with you and dedicates herself to respecting the spirits, she developed a spiritual aura I was able to communicate with at the very last, crucial moment.”

“So, she’s seen you too?”

“Yes, she’s currently in limbo between the ‘real’ world and the spiritual world. I asked her if she would like her life to be restored, and she wished that she could survive. I granted her that wish, but since she was almost dead, you need to be here to complete the process. And, we’re running out of time. Do you have the body?”

“Do I have the what?” Korra grew anxious.

“Asami’s body. Did you bring it with you?”

“No, I was going to bring her here, but… is there any other way?”

Azula pursed her lips. “This can’t work… no, no,” she clicked her tongue. “Her spirit needs to bathe in this sacred lake for me to revive her.”

“I can’t run all the way back and here in time!”

“It’s the rules, Avatar,” Azula shrugged.

“What? What rules?! This is the first time anyone’s ever heard from you and your spirit powers and these rules! Are you kidding me? Do you know what I had to go through?”

Azula began to leave. “Avatar, you aren’t the only one with loved ones that have suffered at the hands of the flame.”

“Lord Zuko said you were stubborn!”

“Now, go get the body and come back here when you have it. Say hello to Zuzu for me,” Azula waved her arm and a fiery blue cycle rose from the water to envelop her.

“No!” Avatar Korra activated her avatar state and unravelled the cyclone with her water and fire bending. Azula looked back at Korra with fury.

“You dare challenge me, Avatar?!” Azula hurled streams of blue fire at the Avatar. Korra dodged and bent the lake into a hard icy surface, preventing Azula from descending beneath.

Azula burnt through the icy barrier, melting the surface, but her eyes grew wide as she noticed the water bubbled furiously beneath. The fire bender leapt out of the way onto the shore.

“What’s going on?” Korra asked Azula, who picked herself up.

“You’ve angered, Mother,” she said, glaring at the Avatar.

And soon enough, the Mother of Faces broke through the semi-icy surface of the lake and towered above the two women.

“Who disturbs this sacred lake?” Her voice echoed among the trees.

“Mother, the Avatar has requested that I grant her a wish to bring back her loved one, but her loved one is not here.”

The Mother of Faces studied the Avatar. “The last Avatar that came here also asked me to do something for him.”

“I am asking that you make an exception--” 

“You, Avatars, are always asking for exceptions and testing my generosity!”

Korra felt her heart drop. It was over. “That was the past and I’m Korra, not Aang…. I just… I can’t…”

“But Avatar Korra,” the spirit softened her tone. ”You have restored the connection between humans and spirits. You’ve restored and revived the cosmic energy of the universe.”

Korra cracked a smile. Something that she had done paid off. The Mother of Faces turned to Azula, “What is it that you cannot do, Azula?”

“I wanted to restore Asami’s life, but Asami’s spirit is not within reach.”

“Korra,” the Mother of Faces turned to her. “Do you have anything that has the essence of Asami’s spirit?”

“I don’t… what do you mean?”

“A lock of hair? Pictures? Anything?” Azula quizzed her.

“No, I guess I don’t... “ Korra felt guilty for not having pictures with her or anything of hers. She made a mental note for herself. How she would kill to carry something that reminded her of Asami… Wait! “I have her satomobile keys!’

“Her what mobile keys?” Azula asked, feeling dated.

“Sato-mobiles. They are machines on wheels that people use to get around! Asami’s father started a factory for them and Asami designs them now and manages them. These are her personal satomobile keys! They should have some of her spiritual essence on or in them, right? She literally pours her heart and soul into these things.”

“Oh, like the Fire Nation’s military tanks that were used to decimate entire nations.”

“Yeah… except not to decimate… just transport.”

“Well, that’s rather weak….Anyway, throw them in the lake!” Azula ordered.

Korra tossed them in and watched spirit energy blast towards the sky as Azula’s eyes glowed in synchrony.

The Mother of Faces faded away and said, “Goodbye, Avatar Korra.”

Korra bowed her head low in appreciation. “Thank you.”

“We’ll meet again, Avatar,” Azula’s voice echoed from the spirit beam.

Korra furrowed her brow, unsure of what that meant. 

*  
 


	15. Chapter 15

**Autumn**

Transported back from the spirit world, Avatar Korra felt relieved to see familiar urban surroundings. Her heart was pounding from running through the spirit world. Her sato-mobile was parked in the original spot, she peered inside and saw that an empty seaweed noodle soup to-go container was in the back seat. She suddenly remembered she did not have her keys.

So, she ran. No, she sprinted, flew, jumped, airbent, waterbent tornados to get to Air Temple Island. The excitement to see Asami was uncontainable.

Her feet landed clumsily on the dock of Air Temple Island. They scurried up the stone steps. They pounded on the creaking hallway boards as she sprinted through the corridors. They charged past Tenzin as he exclaimed, “Korra!” and his clothes caught the wind of Korra’s sprint. But when they reached Asami’s door, they stopped.

Korra held her breath as she stared at the screen door. The room that housed an unconscious, unresponsive body was now supposed to be different. 

She slid it open, and... Asami was still in the same position. It hit her like a train. Katara was across the room, calmly knitting. The elderly woman looked up at Korra, surprised to see Korra’s condition.

The Avatar rushed to Asami’s bedside. She searched for signs that life had returned to her, her color, her expression. Asami’s face was stone-like, unchanged. “Asami,” Korra said, gently. There was no response. “Asami, please,” Korra pleaded as she rested on Asami’s hard shoulder.

Then, Korra felt Asami’s heart beat stronger and her breathing grow deeper. “Korra?” Asami asked in a voice that Korra had achingly missed to hear.

“Asami!” Korra gazed into Asami’s eyes that were as green as the grass in spring. “How are you feeling?”

“Happy to see you,” she beamed, but she frowned as she ran a finger around the scabs on Korra’s face. “And, what happened to you?”

Korra snuggled into Asami’s shoulder and said with a blissful smile, “It doesn’t matter now.”

The elder woman sitting across the room got up and said, “It’s time to give you a decent meal, Miss Sato.” 

“Oh, Master Katara! “ Asami exclaimed, just noticing the respected water tribeswoman. “Thank you,” Asami said gratefully.

And Katara nodded before leaving the two alone in the room.

“Oh, and I love you,” Korra blurted out as she gazed into Asami’s eyes. Asami raised her eyebrows in joyful surprise. “And we should take pictures together, soon,” Korra added without slowing down. “I could carry a mug shot of you from that one time we got caught up in the Earth Queen’s business, but I was thinking probably not. And, I sort of need new satomobile keys–“

Asami placed a finger onto Korra’s lips. “One thing at a time,” the raven-haired woman said gently. 

“Sorry, I’m just so happy to see you.”

Asami gazed into those adorable blue orbs. She smiled and said, “I love you, too,” and held Korra closer to her heart.


	16. Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Healing is never as fast as you want it to be.

Little by little Asami could take another step. Korra held Asami's hand through the water tribe therapy sessions. Asami regained her strength through arduous persistence. She needed her mobility back. Her hands and fingers itched to be productive again. She felt that the world around her was passing her by each day that she spent bedridden. 

Korra reassured her that she would be fine. It would just take time. She had learned through her own experience. Sometimes the break through came when she least expected it. When she was just about to give up. 

Still, Asami would watch the sun's rays peek through the Air Temple Island window and hope that this day would be the day that she would feel normal again. That she could finally comb through her silken black hair, get dressed, and be out the door in her quick and efficient fashion. She stared at the ceiling and let out a breath of quiet patience and prayer. "Raava give me strength." 

Far in the distance she heard the low whir of a motorcycle pulling up to the dock. It reminded her of the days when the wind would blow through her hair as she sped down the Sato Speedway. Oh how she missed those days. Her brealthrough will come soon enough and then she'll burn the rubber as if it was the last thing she could do. 

Suddenly she realized that she didn't know anyone who rode the particular type of motorcycle that produced that sound. Who could that be? 

Air acolytes voices could be heard but Asami couldn't hear who was greeting them from the dock. She twisted her head to hear more but it was futile. All she could do was wait for whoever it was to come closer or for Korra to tell her who it was when she came to visit her.

She closed her eyes and waited for time to pass by as she laid in bed. 

Then a series of loud knocks penetrated her half asleep half awake slumber. 

"Asami?" a familiar and comforting voice gently called out. 

She opened her eyes and her vision was slightly blurry. It took a while for her to focus these days. She finally recognized it was Korra's silhouette. 

"Come in. You know, it's okay if you don't knock I'll know that it's you." 

Korra slowly slid open the paper screen door and carefully stepped into the threshold as if she didn't want to disturb Asami sleeping. After she had closed the door ever so gently she turned around and smiled. "I don't want to startle you or anything." She walked over to Asami carrying a bag of take out. "I've got your favorite. Narook's seaweed noodle soup with a side of pickled radish." She started to unpack the food. 

"I'm getting better now." Asami said. "I can move my left arm ever so slightly." She tried to demonstrate. 

"That's great Asami!" Korra exclaimed with a hopeful glint in her eyes. "Maybe you can give your right hand a break from signing all those contracts." 

Then another knock came from the door. 

"Asami?" An air acolyte voice came from the door. 

"Yes?" 

"A man from Cabbage Corporation is here to see you." 

Korra in the middle of dividing the meal into two servings for the both of them stopped what she was doing. She was concerned. 

Asami exchanged glances with the Avatar. She wasn't expecting anyone. "Did he say what his purpose was?" She tried to fix herself in bed but her legs still didn't have the strength to move. 

"He had a message but he didn't specify. Would you like to see him? I can tell him to go away. His motorcycle is awfully noisy and polluting." 

Korra dropped her chopsticks and peered out the window towards the dock. A man indeed rested on a motorcycle surrounded by a puff of gray smoke. He spun around to create another circle of black smoke and rode into a runway onto a boat. "Who the heck rides a motorcycle on a boat?" Korra said with disgust. 

"What does Cabbage Corp want to see you about?" Korra asked, squinting and trying to get a look at the mysterious figure now sailing back to Republic City and leaving a trail of smoke in the bay.

Asami pondered but her head started to hurt as a sharp pain radiated from the center of her head. She winced in pain. 

Korra rushed over and rested her hand on Asami's forehead. She closed her eyes and focused on Asami's chaotic qi. A ripple of soothing energy emanated from her hand. 

"Rest now, asami. Your food will be waiting for you right here. If you need anything just let me know." Korra kissed Asami's hand affectionately. "I'll talk to the air acolytes to find out some more info about this." 

Asami smiled appreciatively as she watched korra walk out of the room with such care. 

Asami lay there with a growing apprehension that this wouldn't be the last time she would hear about Cabbage Corp.


End file.
